A Different Destiny
by JustMe-Liz
Summary: Instead of choosing power, Cora chose love and ran away with Rumpelstiltskin. Stunned by her choice, Rumple is unsure of what the future holds - the only certainty being that Cora's child will also be his - he'll have a second chance at being a good father. An age-old enemy, however, threatens the family's happy ending... Rumple/Cora. Might have Hooked Queen or EvilCharming.
1. Chapter 1

**So I am new to the OUAT fandom and since I've been sick and at home, I spent a lot of time obsessing over episodes, fanvideos, fanfiction and then decided to write a fanfic since I couldn't get it out of my head. **

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

**Hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 1

She was so close - so close to ripping the king's dreadful heart out with her own bare hands and extract the revenge she craved, when his taunting words stopped her in her tracks.

"Love is weakness. It isn't for hard women like you. That should make your choice easier."

"My choice?"

"Run off with the evil imp you don't think anyone knows about – in the name of love. Or stand next to my son with a crown on your head and citizens at your feet."

Cora's hand twitched slightly and she lifted her chin, desperately trying to hide her confusion.

"If the choice is between love and power, even having a heart is a liability. Don't you think?"

The fear in the king's eyes was evident and Cora retracted her hand. Had she not seen that fear, perhaps her decision would have been different. Had she not seen the slight twinge of fear, perhaps her life would have been different. As it was, she saw it and a pretend smile graced her red lips.

"Yes, I suppose you are right… your majesty."

Without hesitation her hand slipped into his chest and reappeared, holding a small, cold object. His heart – corrupted by greed, power and hate. His breath hitched in his throat when her fingers squeezed around it and Cora paused. Excitement shone in her eyes as her fingers squeezed tighter and tighter, finally turning the heart into dust. Satisfaction rose in her as he crumbled to her feet. Perhaps he was right – running away did mean that she would not have the citizens kneeling at her feet. However, the sight of him lying at her feet was enough. It was with this thought that she stepped over him, hurriedly moving towards where she knew Rumpelstiltskin was waiting for her. Where she knew her happily ever after was waiting for her.

Rumpelstiltskin was pleasantly surprized when he saw her making her way through the bushes. For a dreadful minute, he feared that she would not come – that she would betray him in the worst way imaginable and that he would be alone once again. Before he could allow these thoughts to stab through him, however, she was in his arms – resting her head against his neck and mumbling gentle words of love.

"I killed him, Rumple. I did it… I killed him."

Then she was in his arms and it was pure bliss – her lips on his and her arms around his neck. For the first time in ages, he felt whole – happy. The magic was bubbling within him and he gasped when he felt it leaving his fingertips.

"No!"

He pushed her away instantly and Cora stood, frozen as she stared at him. The gold specks was starting to disappear from his skin, revealing the blatant humanity that was hidden beneath the layer of golden dust.

"Rumpelstiltskin…"

"My magic!"

He seemed distraught and she reached for him, confusion etched on her face.

"Rumpelstiltskin, what's happening?"

"I don't know. My magic is going away, it is leaving."

His breath hitched in his throat painfully and she grabbed onto his hands.

"Let's get you home, my love. We'll figure it out there… let's get you safe first."

With limited use of magic, the journey home was much harder, but with Cora's arm protectively hugged around his middle, there was no doubt that it was worth it.

He was tired when they finally arrived at his secluded home and without his apprentice's magic, it was quite possible they never would have made it inside. He felt weak – weaker than ever before and he closed his eyes tiredly. Cora helped him onto the bed and sat down next to him, resting his head on her lap.

"What's going on, my love?"

Her voice would take no nonsense or vague answers from him and he sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I believe that it is you."

"Me?"

A pained sigh escaped his lips and he rested his hand against her soft cheek.

"True love's kiss, dearie. It can break any curse and apparently my magic… is a curse."

She shook her head with wide eyes and gripped both his hands in hers.

"It's not… your magic saved me. It's not a curse, only you think it is."

"I'm a monster, dearie… I was a monster and now I'm turning back into what a really am. A powerless coward."

"You're not a coward and I refuse to let you believe that. You'll never be powerless, Rumpelstiltskin. Not as long as you have my heart and it belongs to you."

The fire he loved so much was clear in her eyes and she leaned forward to touch her lips to his again. It was the strangest sensation he felt coursing through him – as though all the darkness in him left to be replaced by something light and when Cora drew back from him, he could feel revived magic burning in him.

"It's not gone… My magic, it's not gone! How did you do that?"

Cora laughed gently and kissed him again, this time softly.

"My love, your magic disappeared because you thought it was a curse and you feared I thought the same. The true curse, would be being powerless. We can have it all, Rumpelstiltskin – magic, power and love. As long as we're together… we can have everything we want."

Everything they wanted… It seemed too good to be true and for a second, he allowed a little darkness back in him.

Baelfire.

He expected Cora to rip her own heart out and with that action, break his own. His lovely girl would have become tainted by darkness, leading to the heartbreak of the daughter she would have and this daughter would have been the catalyst of his journey towards getting his son back.

Now, however, things seemed different. Her love for him changed the future of many and she'd never know. Yet, he could not bring himself to be disappointed at the fact that his plans did not work out the way he had expected them to. He'd still find Baelfire – maybe just some other way. He would find his son with Cora at his side and perhaps the powerful daughter he had foreseen for Cora, would still exist. Only it would not only be her daughter - any daughter of Cora's would be a daughter of his.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you for the lovely reviews, tap-Violeta, Anjyu and 94 - much appreciated! **

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine - I just took them out to play with them a little while.**

**Before I get into the angst and drama (which there will be), I wanted to show a bit about Regina's family life and Cora and Rumple as parents as well as their marriage. So this is mostly fluff... Still, hope you enjoy!**

Chapter 2

As the Dark One, Rumpelstiltskin had come to be afraid of almost nothing. However, where he sat helplessly with his back against a wall, there was no denying that he was afraid. To be honest, he was absolutely terrified. Another tortured scream from inside the house ripped through him and his hands shook with magic and the desperate wish that it could help in this situation. It was no use, however – he could do nothing other than listen to Cora's screams, his heart breaking with each one of them. The screams stopped suddenly – too suddenly, and he rushed inside, nearly running their housekeeper over. The middle aged woman laughed at her master's frazzled state and placed a calming hand on his forearm.

"You have a beautiful daughter…"

"Cora…"

"She's in there… they are both in there and…"

He rushed into the room without another word, and the woman just shook her head as she left to give them some privacy.

"Rumple… look!"

The sight of Cora, leaning against the headboard of their bed, exhausted and frail, gripped his heart and twisted it painfully but his pain too, disappeared when he looked at the perfect human being in her arms.

He edged forward carefully and reached out to touch the baby's dark hair. Cora placed the baby into his arms without hesitation and pulled him down to sit next to her.

"We have a daughter, Rumple… A beautiful, perfect daughter."

He turned his head to look at his wife and for a minute, they seemed to lose themselves in each other's eyes. As if sensing this, the baby let out a shrill wail and Rumple turned his head back to her, bouncing her lightly in his arms.

"There, there dearie… We haven't forgotten you… and we never will."

He felt Cora's warm breath against his cheek as she leaned on him to look at their daughter, and spoke softly – without turning his head away from their child's gaze.

"What shall we name her?"

Cora didn't hesitate – it seemed as though she had been thinking about the name for longer than she'd admit.

"Regina… Let's name her Regina."

It was a strange choice to name their child a queen, given Cora's choice, and Rumple looked at her – curious.

"Why?"

Cora traced a finger along Regina's soft cheek with a tender smile.

"You taught me that names held power… I want our daughter to know that in my eyes, even if she isn't born royal… she is nothing less than a queen."

Rumple pressed a hard kiss to Cora's temple before looking back to their daughter.

"Then Regina it is…"

_Six Years Later_

"Papa! Papa, look! Look at me!"

For a minute, Rumple was sure his heart would stop. His daughter was dangling upside down from a high tree branch, allowing the wind to aimlessly swing her through the air. Shaking his head, he cut the messily tied rope around her ankle with a flick of his hands and stepped forward to catch her as she tumbled through the air. Regina squealed with laughter as she landed in his arms. She cradled his face in her hands at once and looked at him with a level of adoration he had yet to see anywhere in life.

"Papa, I love you."

Her voice was honest and pure and he could not help but reciprocate her feelings. Of course he loved Cora – she was his true love and wife, after all. However, whatever he felt for his wife or even for Milah when he still believed to love her, seemed inconsequential when he compared it to the love he felt for his daughter. He possibly would have felt guilty about it, had it not been for the fact that his wife felt the same way. He could see it every time she looked at Regina. The precious little girl was the centre of their world. Of course he remembered feeling the same about his son, about Baelfire. However, that love – he now found – was tainted with regrets, abandonment and fear. First, Milah had made sure that he knew exactly how incompetent he was to be a father, and then she had abandoned him and their son, making him ache for her – making him fear that he truly was worthless. That had allowed the Darkness to suck him in and before he knew it, he had pushed Baelfire away. Not a day went by that a part of him did not regret leaving his son to escape through the portal alone, but more so did he wish that Baelfire had been able to accept the possible good his magic could bring. He had not used it to hurt or kill ever since his daughter's birth. He simply used it to protect them. That was all he ever wanted to do – protect his family and he felt horrible at the thought that Baelfire wasn't enough to pull him out of the darkness. It was no fault of his son – surely the fault was his.

"My love… What are the two of you doing?"

Cora's voice behind him, filled him with the light he had grown so accustomed to and he turned to look at her. She was as beautiful as she was when he had seen her for the first time and he leaned his head back to kiss her.

"Our daughter, it seems, has taken to climbing trees even though I believe we strictly told her not to."

Cora lifted a brow in pretend anger as she looked at Regina and the girl shook her head.

"I didn't climb, mama! Promise!"

Cora lifted a brow and Regina cuddled her head against her father's neck adorably.

"How did you get in the tree then, Gina?"

Regina shrugged as though it was of no regard.

"I smoked."

Rumple's eyes widened, as did Cora's at Regina's confession. Rumple gently let his daughter down to the ground and looked at her, unable of coherent thought. It was Cora who found her voice first and she knelt down next to him to look at Regina.

"Gina, sweetheart… how exactly did you smoke?"

Regina shrugged, clearly confused.

"I don't know. I just wanted to, so I did."

Cora and Rumple shared a concerned look before the latter looked back at his daughter.

"Gina… I have an idea. Don't you want to spend the night at Aunt Ruth's? She's invited you a few times now, I'm sure she'll be glad to have you."

Regina's bottom lip trembled as she looked at her father.

"Did I do something bad, daddy?"

"Oh, no, dearie… You did nothing bad. We just thought you might like to go for a little visit. Just for one night."

Regina hesitated, brown eyes flickering from her father to her mother and back.

"I could play with David."

David, Ruth's five year old son, was Regina's best friend and eternal ally. The pair could not get enough of each other, frequently engaging in games of Pirates and Knights, or whatever carefree games their minds came up with.

"Yes. You could play with David."

Regina nodded at once and Rumple stood, still clutching her in his arms. He could feel Cora's concerned gaze on his back and avoided her eyes purposefully.

"Can we go now?"

He nodded at Regina's excited voice and stopped next to his wife, allowing himself to squeeze her hand for just a second. Cora must have realized that something about her behaviour seemed off, because she smiled brightly at once and took Regina out of her husband's arms.

"How am I supposed to survive you two's plans to take my daughter away from me for a full night?"

Regina laughed and kissed Cora's cheek happily.

"Mommy, it's just one night!"

Cora wiped a few strands of hair out of Regina's face and smiled.

"As long as you know that tomorrow the two of us are spending the whole day together. Just us."

Regina smiled one of her brightest smiles and for a minute the concern Cora felt wavered.

"I'd like that, mommy. I'd like that a lot."


	3. Chapter 3

**Thank you for the lovely reviews!**

**Anjyu - I am not sure whether this will be Hooked Queen yet. To be honest, right now in my head I am sort of leaning towards it. There will be Hooked Queen and Evil Charming feels for sure! There is definite Evil Charming friendship though - I wanted Rumple and Cora to live close to where David grew up and then have him and Regina know each other from a young age. I took some liberties with age and so forth!**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine - I just took them out to play with them a little while.**

Chapter 3.

David, of course, was elated to see his friend and after a quick explanation to Ruth, Cora and Rumple were back on their way home. Ruth loved having Regina over. David was such a lonely child and he truly seemed to light up when his friend was around. She supposed that was just the effect the girl had on those around her – she herself could not help but feel a little lighter when she saw the carefree smile. Even though Rumple and Cora preferred to stay secluded, they did not hesitate at all to allow their daughter to befriend Ruth's son – a gesture she appreciated. She liked the strange couple, even despite their obvious reluctance to befriend anyone. The love they had for each other and their daughter convinced her that they were good people.

While Ruth was certain that Rumple and Cora were good people, both of them struggled to accept that as a fact. Yes, King Xavier was the only person Cora had ever killed and yes, Rumple had come back from the darkness of murdering everyone who dared get in his way. However, they still felt as though they were surrounded by darkness and had always planned on keeping their child as far away from it as possible. Regina was light and allowing the darkness to touch her would be unforgivable. Cora sighed as she sat in her husband's arms, worry now dancing naked in her eyes.

"I am frightened, my love."

Rumple sighed and pulled her closer against his chest. He rested his chin on her shoulder and Cora smiled as she remembered the first time he had done so. Then, his magic had been flowing through her and the feel of power along with desire surged through them. This time, it was different. Her need for power was no longer there, replaced by an all-consuming need to protect her family and while the desire was still there, present in their every touch, it was now accompanied by love. Cora leaned away from him slightly when she felt his lips burning a trail from her shoulder to her jaw and turned to look at him sternly.

"Rumple."

Rumple sighed and leaned his head back against the headboard of the bed. Cora cuddled up to him in a needing way that was completely unlike her and he wrapped his arms around her, allowing her to seek comfort in his heartbeat.

"Regina was not supposed to have magic, Rumple. I thought we took care of it, I thought we made sure…"

Cora stopped and sighed. She let her head fall back against his shoulder and closed her eyes as he ran his hands over her shoulders silently.

"I stand by what I said when I chose you. Our magic is not a curse, it is something wonderful and it brought us together but in Regina… We both know how alluring, how seductive the darkness can be. We nearly succumbed to it. She's just a child, Rumple."

Rumple pressed a gentle kiss to her temple and tangled his fingers with hers.

"She's not just a child, dearie. She's our child and by the looks of it a powerful child at that. But I agree with you – at her age, the power of the darkness is dangerous."

Cora turned to look at him, hopeful for answers.

"So what do we do? How do we make sure she doesn't give in to the darkness?"

As much as he wished it was so, Rumple did not have answers – many ideas and hopes, but not one definite answer and when he looked into his wife's eyes, the blind faith he saw made him feel like an utter failure.

"I don't know, dearie. The best we can do is protect her ourselves – with every step we take we need to be aware of the darkness threatening her and we must make sure that she knows how much we love her. If she knows that, if she has that love in mind at all times… the darkness will be powerless."

All children are perceptive – it is a known fact. Regina was no exception and she had seen the flicker of panic within her parents earlier in the day. However, the carefree six-year-old could never have guessed the reason for it. She had assumed it was because they feared for her safety – mother hated the idea of her daughter climbing trees ever since she had broken her wrist, months earlier. Never would she have guessed that their fears were of something much more sinister. In fact, where she sat with her feet in the cool water of a lake, next to her best friend, darkness was the furthest thing from her mind. Both children were extremely dirty from hours of playing in the mud, yet it seemed as though the dirt only added to their fun. It was David who broke the casual silence with a toothless grin.

"Gina! Let's play prince and princess!"

Regina lifted a brow as he stood, thrusting his play sword in the air, and folded her arms.

"We can't, David. We have no one to play the Dragon. Anyways, being a princess is no fun."

"Why not?"

"All they do is sit and wait for the prince to come rescue them. I don't wanna do that. I wanna fight too!"

David was silent for a while, pondering their dilemma. Then his face lit up in a smile.

"Let's play Knights and Pirates!"  
Regina nodded at once and made a grab for her own wooden sword.

"Do you wanna be a knight or a pirate, David?"

David thought for a minute and decided to try being a gentleman.

"What do you wanna be?"

Regina's eyes flickered and she grinned, lifting her chin in a very royal manner.

"I wanna be a knight."

David scrunched up his face, immediately regretting allowing her to choose first.

"I don't wanna be a dirty pirate."

The girl rolled her eyes at him, but the smile did not fade from her face.

"Fine. I'll be the dirty pirate and you can be the knight!"

Where Ruth stood in the kitchen, her heart ached as she heard the laughter of the two children playing outside. After all these years, the loss of her other son still broke her heart. If only they had been stronger, perhaps then he would still be here with them. But King George had a way with words and he had managed to convince them that both their sons would be better off if one were to live with him. They would have more money, a stable life – and David could grow up with whatever he needed. James would grow up a prince – he would never be without anything. At the time, it felt like the right decision – her husband had convinced her that it was to give both their sons their best chance in life. She had always silently disagreed with him about that, but kept her reservations to herself. Seeing David with Regina, just emphasized that it had been a mistake. There should have been three little ones outside, playing with their swords and as much as she appreciated and loved the girl, Regina shouldn't have been David's best friend. It should have been James.


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you for the lovely reviews! I was not planning on uploading again today, but the sudden influx of reviews made me insanely happy, so I thought to do just that. Thank you Foreverglfan88, EOhope1, Valsilisa 'Lissa' Dragomir, Guest and of course tap-Violeta! Guest - Like I said, I took them out to play with them for a while, although I don't think the age difference is THAT much in reality. Surely not a mere year, but it's an age difference of 4 years between the actors and Regina wasn't that much older than Snow when she married her father. The ages on this show are quite creepy when you think about it in terms of relationships... EOhope1 - the problem with choosing between Hooked Queen and Evil Charming, is that Regina just has chemistry with everyone in the world. Even a spoon! **

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine - I just took them out to play with them a little while.**

Chapter 4

Killian Jones was stuck and he had been for over a decade. Stuck in Neverland, surrounded by annoying children and even more annoying fairies. The Jolly Roger had hit some sort of portal and refused to move from there. He glanced at his own reflection in the water and smirked. The one good thing about being stuck here was that he got to keep his dashing looks. Not aging was proving to be quite beneficial to him. He had already lost everything else in his life – the least he could keep was his youth and good looks. One thought leading to another, eventually took him on a journey to the bane of his existence – Rumplestilskin. He was as hell-bent on revenge as ever – being stuck in Neverland was a minor detour that he would accept. Somehow, he would get out of here and he would make Rumplestiltskin pay in the worst way possible. If only the Dark One could love, he would take joy in ripping that love away from him while looking him in the eyes. He would… He would have to find a way off this blasted island first. Preferably without dying. The shadow seemed to taunt him at every opportunity it got, reminding him that he could not leave the waters of Neverland and keep his life. This time, it was not mocking him about the death of someone else – it was his own life at stake and if there was one life that Captain Hook loved, it was his own. Thus, the idea of leaving was not that simple. Smee was lucky enough to come and go when necessary – somehow the annoying man had missed the curse that bound him to Neverland and Killian glanced down at his arm sourly. Dreamshade.

It was without hesitance that he drank the water from the spring, choosing to ignore the fact that all magic came with a price. He believed that somehow, he would be able to escape the curse. He still thought it possible. That was where the fairies came in. Tinkerbell – a charming young fairy, who lived on the island – had promised him that she would attempt to find a way of saving him. A way that allowed him to leave and if she kept her promise, if he managed to escape he would finally get his shot at revenge. He would finally get back at Rumplestiltskin and now… he had all the time in the world to plan that.

Far away from Captain Hook, a young girl had lost herself in the fantasy of being a pirate. Not that Regina knew much from pirates, other than what she had heard from Ruth's stories. It was the one topic her father refused to talk about, insisting that all pirates were evil and she was better off knowing nothing about them. Ruth made it sound different and Regina chose her pirate to be more like one of Ruth's – a courageous ship captain, scouring the earth for adventure.

"Freeze, pirate!"

Regina froze at her friend's voice and she smiled at how knightly he sounded – even at their young age, David could still manage to sound almost royal. He just carried an authority in his voice. She turned with a haughty expression on her face, trying her best to imitate the pirate voice Ruth used in her many stories.

"Arrrr! You can't make me, matey!"

Wooden swords clashed against each other, amidst bouts of laughter until the pair fell down on the grass next to each other, out of breath. David turned his head to look at Regina, his blue eyes sparkling.

"One day, when I grow up I'm gonna be a real knight and then I'm gonna slay dragons and fight pirates like this."

Regina turned her head to face him, brown eyes searching his face intently.

"So you'll leave?"

David's eyes widened and in his childish innocence, he reached for her hand and squeezed her fingers.

"I'll never leave you, Gina. Never."

She laughed with all the wisdom of a six-year-old and shook her head.

"You'll get married one day."

"I'm gonna marry you because you're my best friend."

He said it as though it was the most obvious statement in the world and Regina laughed, her eyes sparkling now.

"What about the dragons you wanna slay? Aren't you going to save princesses too?"

David shook his head violently and drew his legs up to his chest. He rested his chin on his knees and look at her seriously.

"You're the only person I'm gonna save."

Regina laughed with a shake of her head and rolled her eyes.

"That's just silly, David. You can't save me, my daddy will save me."

"What if your daddy doesn't have a sword?"

"He doesn't need one. He has magic."  
David was quiet for a while, thinking of a response. When he couldn't find one, he simply shrugged and grinned at her.

"I'll help him then."

Regina grinned thankfully and looked at David through her dark lashes. After she had managed to smoke herself up a tree, her mom and dad made her promise to tell no one about it, but David was her best friend and he knew that her dad was magical. Surely it would do no harm sharing her secret with him? She leaned forward, her voice lowered to a whisper.

"David… I have magic too."

David's eyes widened and he sat up straight, eagerly looking at her.

"Show me!"

"Well… daddy said I couldn't. He said it was dangerous."

"Just something small, Gina! Please, please, please!"

It was impossible to say no to her pleading friend and she giggled, waving her hand over a tree next to her. David's eyes widened when a dark red apple fell into her hand out of nowhere and she held the apple out to him.

"See?"

David nodded excitedly, his eyes twinkling and the juice of the apple exploded over his face when he took a bite. Their laughter echoed across the field and they jumped up when Ruth's voice beckoned them to the house, urging them to go inside for dinner. Dinner meant story time, and it was something they always looked forward to. Too preoccupied with each other and the prospect of one of Ruth's stories, neither Regina nor David noticed the young man in the bushes behind them. His eyes were fixated on Regina and when he smiled, dark gaps decorated spaces between his teeth. He had been hiding for a long time and he was pretty sure that the girl belonged to the Dark One. It was interesting – not to mention surprizing – news. It was something Captain Hook would want to know. With a sinister grin, Smee rubbed his hands together. It was time to start the journey back to Neverland.


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you for the lovely reviews! **

**Anjyu - Oh gosh, either I am very predictable or we just think the same... I will check out your fics for sure! ;)**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine - I just took them out to play with them a little while.**

Chapter 5

Without Hook's guidance, it took Smee longer to reach Neverland than he thought it would – much longer. It was for this reason, that Captain Hook did not recognize the man stumbling toward him on one molten afternoon. He jumped up at once, his good hand already resting on his sword.

"Who are you?"

Smee froze, taken aback. Had Neverland managed to steal what was left of Hook's sanity?

"Captain?"

Something in Smee's voice must have registered in Hook's mind, because he took a giant leap forward with a grin bordering on deranged.

"Smee!"

"Ay, Captain! I come with good news. It's about… the Dark One."

Hook's eyes flashed at the mention and he looked at Smee with barely concealed interest.

"What is it?"

"He has a child, my captain."

"I know. Baelfire, Milah told me about him…"

"No, Captain. There is another one… a daughter."

"A daughter? Are you sure it is his child?"

"Ay, Captain. She has magic too."

"She has magic?"

The excitement in Hook's eyes was evident, and Smee nodded. He knew how Hook hated being stuck in Neverland and he could see in his Captain's eyes that he believed this child of the Dark One could be his way out of here.

"Smee, you need to kidnap the girl and bring her here. Her magic might just be what I need to survive."

"Kidnap, Captain?"

Of course, Smee expected Captain Hook's idea to involve kidnapping the child. He simply just did not expect that he would be the one who had to do it – on his own no less. Although rumours of the Dark One had been silent in the last few years, tales of his immense power were still spoken of and as he was there when Milah's heart was ripped out and crushed, without so much as a flinch from the monster, he was not too excited about the idea of getting on his wrong side. Smee was pretty sure that kidnapping Rumplestiltskin's daughter, would get him on the Dark One's bad side and if he made the slightest mistake, he would no doubt end up dead. Hook seemed to read some of the worry in Smee's eyes and smiled in a manner Smee assumed was supposed to be comforting.

"Don't worry, Smee. We have enough time to plan it. Nothing will go wrong. We'll make sure of that."

In the five years it had taken Smee to find his way to Neverland, Regina had grown from an adorable six-year-old to quite a beautiful little girl. Cora was extremely proud of Regina's beauty and amazed at the fact that she still had no darkness in her. She never got tired of wondering how on earth it happened that she could be as lucky as she was – to have a perfect husband and beautiful daughter that she adored. Rumple had taken to teaching Regina just the basics of magic – enough to ensure that she had a handle on it, but not enough to let their daughter succumb to the allure held by the darkness. Many times, she had seen Rumple look at Regina with a strange light in his eyes – as though he was waiting for something to happen. However, when she attempted to speak to him about it, her husband was quick to deny it. Deny it as he may, Cora feared that it had something to do with his long lost son – Baelfire – and she hoped beyond all logic that he truly did not have anything planned. She did not want her husband to use their daughter in any manner - even if it meant finding his son. Luckily, David's visits to their home had increased and although the young boy was aware of the family's magic, Rumple still refrained from using it in front of him. This meant that any time spent with David was magic-free and to be honest, it was what Cora preferred. Of course there was a time when she wanted her child to be all-powerful and mighty, but rather than having the world on their knees, she now just wanted her daughter to be happy.

"Mother! David wanted to know if we can go for dinner at his house. Please, mother! I have not seen Ruth in ages!"

Regina's pleading voice interrupted Cora's thoughts and she turned with a smile.

"What does your father say?"

Regina rolled her eyes with a playful grin.

"What he always says – if it's fine with your mother, it is fine with me."

Cora just laughed and nodded.

"Of course you can go."

"Mom invited you and the sir too, Cora!"

Only now did Cora notice the blue eyed boy standing behind her daughter. She was quite taken with David – he was a good friend to their daughter and all in all likable. David got along well with Cora too, but was still a little careful of Rumple. Cora shook her head at the invitation and held her hands up in the air.

"I don't think that is such a good idea, David. Maybe next time…"

The ten-year old would not, however, take no for an answer and tugged at Cora's sleeve with a pout.

"Come on, Cora. Mom really wants you there too, and so do I! Please, please, please?"

Cora rolled her eyes with a laugh and nodded. She was never able to say no to David for too long.

"Very well then. We'll be there. The two of you run along so long, we'll see you in a bit."

The pair grabbed hands as they always did and ran off without another word. Cora sat back with a sigh, her head suddenly aching with worry. As if being concerned about Regina's magic was not enough, she now started wondering about her daughter's future and the innocent way in which her daughter held David's hand brought these worries to mind. Regina would not be a child forever – she was growing up too fast and soon she'd be a woman. It worried Cora that David was her daughter's only friend. As much as she loved the boy, the two of them depended on each other too much and it made her uncomfortable.

"Stop thinking, dearie. You're going to burn the house down."

Her husband's trademark laugh behind her managed to put a smile on her face – as always and Cora turned, walking into his arms wordlessly. Rumple hugged his wife close to him, unsure of what it was that caused her state and he stroke over her hair gently.

"What's wrong, Cora?"

She looked up at him, her brown eyes burning darkly in his.

"I'm frightened. About the future."

An impish laugh escaped Rumple's lips and Cora looked up at him, confused.

"What is it?"

He sighed and wiped a few strands of hair out of her face, his voice suddenly serious.

"Oh dearie… if only you knew what I knew of the future."

"Rumple… what is it you know?"

Her voice held a no-nonsense tone and he caught both her hands in his, squeezing them tenderly.

"I know that it changed… when you chose me, you changed the future and every decision made by… well, anyone right now… changes it too. As much as I wished to believe it so, we do not have much control over it unless we are willing to kill for it and as I am now, dearie… I will not allow more darkness into our lives."


	6. Chapter 6

**Thank you for the lovely reviews! Please forgive my cop-out with the time jumps because of Smee's apparent lack of intelligence! In my mind, it made sense to do it in such a way in order to move the story forward.**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine - I just took them out to play with them a little while.**

Chapter 6

Planning to kidnap a child – especially the child of two magical parents – proved to take more time than Hook had bargained on. He was slowly getting irritated with Smee's clear unwillingness to push through and do what needed to be done. If they were going to get the child with Hook before Rumplestiltskin died of old age despite immortality, they were going to need help. Which was where Tinkerbell came in. The fairy had finally joined forces with Hook (he had a feeling that his charm might have played part in persuading him) and after convincing her that kidnapping the child was in everyone's best interest – including that of the child herself, Tink had agreed. Hook grinned to himself where he sat on the sand, staring at the remains of the Jolly Roger. Perhaps he had gone in to a little more detail than necessary in order to convince Tinkerbell that Rumplestiltskin would be a horrible father who would ruin his daughter's chances of love and happiness, but the fairy was just so gullible he couldn't resist. He had no idea how much time had passed while they were planning – sometimes it felt like mere days, other times he was sure it had been close to a century. The only thing that mattered, was that Smee and Tink were on their way and when they returned, they would bring the daughter of the Dark One along with them.

Although it had not truly taken centuries to plan, it took more than mere days too. In fact, whereas Regina was an adorable six-year-old the first time Smee had seen her, she was now close to eighteen and turning in to a beautiful young woman – something noticed by her best friend, David, too. It was this fact that caused the young man to be strangely quiet where he sat next to her, their feet dangling in the lake as they had done so many times before. Of course Regina would have had to been daft to not realize that her friend was acting strange, and she tilted her head to look at him curiously.

"What's wrong with you?"

Although her words were harsh, a playful tone in them put a smile on his face and he looked at her with a sigh.

"Nothing. Why?"

"You're quiet, David and I know you. You're never quiet."

"I'm just thinking."

She scoffed, clearly not satisfied with his answer and her eyes searched his face.

"About?"

David sighed deeply. He was seventeen years old and instead of becoming a knight as he had dreamt of his entire life, he was a shepherd. He loved his mother and he wanted nothing more than to help her, but sometimes he truly wished that there was something more in life. With no time to go out and meet people, Regina was still his only friend and in this case, her being a beautiful girl did not help. He was pretty sure that he loved her, and the pair had exchanged an awkward first kiss on his sixteenth birthday… but he still craved something more. He craved adventure. David shook his head to rid himself of the thoughts and looked at Regina with a small smile.

"Nothing. You just… you're really beautiful, did you know that?"

A blush crept up her cheeks and she shook her head, laughing.

"You are silly."

"No, Gina… I'm not saying it because I want something or just because you're my friend. I'm just stating a fact. You're gorgeous."

She shot a few droplets of water at him with a laugh.

"I'm also the only girl you know."

"Like you know any guys!"

Regina sighed. It was true – her knowledge of men was scarce and sad. Like David, she too craved something more, something adventurous. Over the years, her parents and Ruth have come to accept the fact that the two of them would grow up, fall in love and get married. Although she loved David dearly, she did not know whether it was the type of love you needed for a marriage. She had no one or nothing to compare it to.

"Do you think we'll end up falling in love and getting married?"

For a second, she feared that David had suddenly gained the ability to read minds and that his question was based off her thoughts. Only when she truly looked at him, did she see that her friend was plagued by the exact questions that bothered her. She opted for complete honesty.

"I don't know, David. I mean… I think you'd make a pretty great husband and I do love you, but…"

"You want more?"

He wasn't offended in the slightest and the tone of his voice told her that he understood better than she had thought he would.

"I want more."

Their hands moved together, fingers entwining as they had done when they were mere children. Before David could say anything, however, two figures appeared in behind them and as soon as they turned, dust flew to their faces. The confusion in Regina's brown eyes was the last thing David saw before he fell over, fast asleep.

It was hours later when Regina awoke, confused as to where she was and incredibly frightened. Darkness surrounded her and she gulped, trying her best to swallow down her fear. She had no idea who the strangers were or what they wanted, but she was still alive and she supposed that it was a good sign.

"David… David!"

She called out to her friend desperately, her hands searching for any sign of another occupant in the small room she was locked up in, but finding none. Tears shot to her eyes, but she wiped them away, trying hard to remember her father's advice on magic. As hard as she tried to create a little fire to light up the room, she was simply too anxious and frightened to conjure any magic at all. She yelped when the door opened and sunlight blinded her. The man who looked down at her could only be described as unwashed and uncared for – and that was if she was being kind. His greyish hair stood over his scalp in patches and he had a large, round belly. A bottle was clutched in his one hand and he swung on his feet as he looked at her.

"Now girl… we saved you, you don't need to be scared."

Regina folded her arms and glared at the man angrily.

"Saved me? You kidnapped me! What did you do to me and my friend? Where is he?"

Smee laughed gleefully.

"You don't have to worry about the boy. He is safe, we left him there. You are safe now too – we will not harm you, but I suggest you do not attempt to do magic. It won't work anyway."

"Who are you and where are you taking me?"

He pulled her up by her upper arm roughly and she stumbled onto the deck, her eyes widening at the sight of blue water stretching out as far as she could see. She was on a ship and judging by the black flag and the man's obvious intoxicated state, it was not just any ship. She was kidnapped by a pirate. She jumped when the man answered her question, already having forgotten that she had asked it in the first place.

"I'm taking you to Neverland."

Rumplestiltskin was furious and where David cowered in a corner behind his mother, he could not blame the man. When he woke up, Regina was gone and no one had any way of finding her. Cora was devastated, her body heaving with sobs where she sat at the kitchen table. Rumple, however, did not have time to be sad – he was just too angry. First he had lost his son – granted, through his own mistakes. Now his daughter was missing and the only person he could blame was the blasted shepherd. It took all of his self-control not to rip the boy's heart out and crush it to dust. Not that it would help – in fact, he had a sinking suspicion that killing the boy would only make matters worse. David looked at Rumple with red eyes, unwillingly remembering a conversation he had shared with Regina years ago in which she told him that he would never need to save her – that her father would. He bit back frustrated tears as he looked at the shorter man that he had feared throughout his whole life, the man that he respected more than he would ever let on.

"I am sorry. If there was anything I could have done… I wouldn't have hesitated. I love Gina and I would never wish her harm. I just… I'm sorry."

Cora looked up at him, her pretty face stained with tears and yet she managed to conjure a smile.

"Oh David… it was not your fault, but if you can remember anything… anything that might alert us as to who did this, please…"

David nodded and moved toward Rumple, looking down at the other man desperately.

"Gina said… she said something about you being able to see people's memories. Maybe if you took a look at mine… Perhaps you could recognize the man I saw."

Rumple nodded at once and moved his hand swiftly, starting the painful process of extracting David's memories without so much as a second thought. Only after he had scrutinized every detail did he let the younger man go, his eyes ablaze with fury. Once David had fled into Ruth's embrace and Cora grabbed her husband's hands, Rumple found his voice. He only had the strength for one word, which he uttered with an anguished groan.

"Smee."


	7. Chapter 7

**Thank you for the lovely reviews! Golden Hearts fans - this is for you!**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine - I just took them out to play with them a little while.**

Chapter 7

As much as she hated herself for it, Regina could not deny the tinge of excitement that had stirred in her at the prospect of an adventure. However, where she now sat on her knees scrubbing the deck, her so-called adventure felt rather anti-climactic. When she found out that Smee was a pirate, she expected danger, excitement, adventure and to her shame, fun. The old man was everything but the dangerous pirates she had heard off – except for his tendency to drink rum from morning until night. She herself was reduced to fishing, cooking and scrubbing floors. It had been almost a year of sailing in every direction that came to Smee's mind – apparently, despite having been to the place on more than one occasion he still had no idea how to find it. He kept mumbling something about portals and beans, nothing she truly understood or cared for. All she wanted was to get home, to see her family again. She missed her mother and father, she missed Ruth and above all else she missed David. It was hard to believe that the last time she had seen David, she doubted her love for him and now that his comforting presence was no longer with her, she could not believe how much she missed him. She had started remembering small things about him like the way his blue eyes sparkled when he looked at her, how his face lit up when he smiled and the memory of their clumsy first kiss, made her heart flutter. She wanted to go home. The ship suddenly jolted and she glided across the deck, bumping her head against something hard. Regina bit back tears and her hand moved to the rather deep gash that appeared on her forehead, confused as to where they were. She blinked furiously and moved slowly, unsteady on her feet. It seemed as though she was in a different world and she rubbed her eyes until everything around her stopped blurring. She had no idea where she was, but it was truly beautiful. She was too mesmerized by the beauty surrounding her, to notice the man on the beach, staring at her with wide eyes.

Captain Hook was shocked. When Smee told him about Rumplestiltskin's daughter, he had expected well… a child – definitely not the beautiful young woman who stood in front of him now. Of course, after Smee had told him about the Dark One finding a wife and having a daughter he was quite curious about them. He could not imagine that someone could possible love a beast like Rumplestiltskin and he had allowed his imagination to run wild with the monsters his offspring would have turned into. As elaborate as his musings were, not in a million years would he have imagined her to even resemble the raven-haired beauty in front of him now. Before he could help himself, he was in front of her, his eyes studying her flawless features intently.

"What is your name?"

Regina jumped when he spoke, only now noticing the man looking up at her. Her heart skipped a beat when her eyes caught his and she pursed her lips, angry at herself for finding him attractive – although it would be hard not to do so.

"Why do you want to know?"

Hook laughed and held his hand out to her, helping her off the ship.

"Well, love… I just call it good manners. I'm Killian Jones."

She took his hand unwillingly and he did not miss the glance she sent to his hook. Her hand felt small in his and without him realising it, a charming smile played around his lips.

"My name is Regina."

"The daughter of the Dark One…"

A frown appeared between Regina's brows and she pulled her hand out of his quickly.

"What do you mean the Dark One? My parents are not dark."

Hook lifted a brow and inspected her face. The poor soul truly seemed to believe her statement and he shook his head. Her young mind was surely corrupted! It would soon change – before long she would know who her father truly was.

Rumplestiltskin was furious. It was the bloody pirate – of course it was, how could he not have known? The bastard who took Milah from him, now managed to take his daughter too. He shouldn't have spared his life – he should have ripped his heart out and crush it, rather than allowing him a life full of misery. He should have known that he would attempt to get his revenge, but never had he even considered that anyone would harm his daughter. He had no idea how Hook had even found out about Regina. It had been over a year since he had last seen his daughter – despite scouring the earth for her. He looked up when Cora entered the kitchen and studied her for a while. She had aged in the past year – she looked tired and the attractive sparkle that used to be in her eyes was all but gone. Rumple blamed himself. If he hadn't killed Milah and just let her go… If he didn't take Hook's hand, maybe then… He would have healed, the dark spot on his heart would not have existed and Regina would still be with him and Cora. He could not help but notice that he and Cora were not the only ones who felt the terrible loss of their child. Ruth and David felt it too – the young man even more so than his mother. He had long suspected that David was attracted to Regina, but he never considered the extent of it. The young man seemed quite broken hearted and was intent on finding her. He had been a great help to Rumple – not that it made any difference whatsoever.

While her husband was caught up in his thoughts, Cora studied him too. She loved this man to death and it tore at her to see how the guilt affected him. She moved closer to him and knelt in front of him to look up into his eyes. The loss of their daughter had broken both of them, but they had each other to hold on to. They had to keep each other alive, they had no choice about it.

"Rumple, look at me."

Rumple looked down into his wife's eyes, his heart skipping a beat when he noticed the unadulterated love in them.

"I miss her too, Rumple. More than I ever thought possible, but I need you to hold on. I need you to stay with me. I can't lose you too. Without you I have nothing."

Rumple cupped her face in his hands, quite ashamed of the frustrated tears forming in his eyes. His voice was broken when he spoke, not leaving her gaze for even a second.

"I feel like ripping my heart out. Just to stop feeling this pain, this torture. I need to find him, Cora. I need to find Hook and get her back, but I know he won't return here – not as long as he knows I am looking for him."

Cora leaned up and captured his lips with her own impulsively. Rumple leaned in without a second thought, tangling his hands in her hair. It had been so long since his wife had kissed him like this – like he was her oxygen and she needed him to live. It had been a year to be exact. The loss of their daughter had shaken them – and their marriage. Only now did he realize how much he needed her. This was not something they could face alone – they had to help each other survive.

It was Cora who pulled away from the kiss first, and she rubbed her nose against his, gripping his shoulders tightly.

"We'll find her, my love. We won't give up until we do."

Rumple nodded slowly and leaned in for another kiss. She sounded so sure and convincing. They would find her and get their happy ever after. There was always hope.


	8. Chapter 8

**Thank you for the lovely reviews! Evil-Charming feels alert - and Hooked Queen feels if you squint!**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine - I just took them out to play with them a little while.**

Chapter 8

_"David! David, stop!"_

_Regina's echoed through the fields and David seized his tickling of her, looking down into her velvety eyes, his heart beating fast. She was beautiful – and not because she was practically his only friend. He had been in the village and he was not oblivious to the adoring stares from women. It was just that none of them compared to Regina in the slightest. Her breathing had become laboured and her eyes cloudy, and David slowly became aware of the intimate way they looked at each other, her soft body pressed against his and the faint smell of apples clinging to her. He dipped his head impulsively, his lips searching for hers. It took a while for Regina to respond and when she did, she wrapped her hands around his neck, pulling him closer. Desire rushed through him as he intensified their kiss, getting lost in her. _

_"I love you, Gina…"_

_She opened her mouth to reply, but was stopped by a man appearing next to them. Before David could do anything, she was dragged away by her arms, her figure looking smaller than usual in the man's strong grip._

_"David! David, help me!"_

_Her anguished screams broke through him, and he took a giant leap forward in an attempt to pull her back towards him. Before he could touch her, however, the branches of a tree wrapped themselves around him and the man disappeared with Regina – her faint cries still audible._

_"David!"_

"David! Wake up!"

He awoke in a cold sweat, staring at the figure leaning over him – mildly confused. It took him a few minutes to realize where he was and he took a deep breath.

"Mom?"

Ruth stroke over his hair tenderly and he let out a shaky breath – the dream still vividly clinging to him.

"You were screaming," she informed him gently, moving to sit down next to him.

"Shouting Regina's name."

David sighed and closed his eyes.

"I miss her so much, mom. I can't believe I didn't realize it earlier – how much she means to me. I can't get her out of my mind. I keep thinking of all the chances that I missed. The chances to tell her that I loved her, to kiss her, to show her how much I cared. Now she's gone and we don't know if she's ever coming back."

Ruth kissed him on his forehead gently.

"I know you miss her, dear."

David shook his head, eyes clouded with misery.

"It is more than that, mother. I don't miss my friend – I miss the girl I fell in love with. I just didn't realize it."

Regina had not believed a bad word about her father, and took to screaming at Hook furiously when he told her about how Rumplestiltskin had ripped Milah's heart out. Her small fists had attacked him viciously – to no effect. He supposed that the screaming was tiring, for she had fallen asleep before nightfall. Hook could not help but be relieved at this – at nights, the cries of the Lost Boys echoed through Neverland in a heart-wrenching manner. Regina did not need to hear that on her first night there – it would terrify the poor girl. He studied her face as she slept, still marvelling at her beauty. A frown creased her forehead even as she slept and she whimpered, her body trembling. He felt guilty upon seeing this. The poor girl was frightened – she had nothing to do with her father's evil and right now it seemed as though she was the one suffering. He had not meant to hurt anyone innocent. He simply wanted to get back at Rumplestiltskin. He never thought about the collateral damage. She mumbled something in her sleep and he moved closer to her, surprised to see her features scrunched up in a mask of anguish. Perhaps it was the guilt or the sympathy, perhaps he had just been alone for too long, but Hook moved impulsively, lying down behind her and pulling her against his chest. It was only for tonight, he decided. He would decide what to do with her later – he had planned on killing her, but suddenly that thought was no longer as tempting as it had been. His rhythmic heartbeat seemed to soothe her, as she calmed down significantly in his arms. She let out a satisfied sigh and moved her body closer to his in her sleep. He froze when he heard the name escaping her lips.

"David…"

_"David! You… I can't believe you found me!"_

_It was him – his blue eyes sparkling as always and the charming smile playing around his lips. She stormed forward, into his arms and buried her head in his neck._

_"I missed you so much, David! But I knew… I knew you'd find me."_

_David's arms were strong around her and she melted in his embrace. Finally, he was here and she bit her lip in shame as she remembered the thoughts she had a year ago. How could she have wanted excitement and adventure? How could she not have seen what was right in front of her? How could she not have realized how much she loved him? Tears formed in her eyes and she touched his cheek, losing herself completely in his blue eyes. _

_"I love you, Gina… I love you so much."_

_"I love you too!"_

_His lips met hers in a gentle kiss that quickly turned frantic and she wrapped her arms around his neck, holding on to him desperately. He lifted her up as though she was nothing and she wrapped her legs around him, pressing her body against his in an attempt to get even closer to him. His lips burned a path down her neck and she sighed._

_"David…"_

Hook suddenly had the desire to wake her where she lay in his arms, dreaming about another man. It wasn't jealousy, he simply did not appreciate it. It wasn't necessary to wake her, however, for at that moment a terrible wail sounded through the land and Hook sighed, turning on his back. He pulled Regina with him and her head landed on his chest as another wail tore through the silence. She sat up with a gasp, her eyes wide.

"What was that?"

Hook sat up next to her and put a comforting hand on her leg.

"It's the Lost Boys… They tend to cry at night."

Her stunned expression suddenly turned into a glare and she folded her arms.

"Why were you holding me?"

He had the decency to look guilty and shrugged.

"You were crying. I was being nice."

She let out a sarcastic laugh and shook her head.

"Nice? You kidnapped me!"

"I'm sorry about that, love. Nothing personal."

Regina let out an angry a breath. For the first time in her life, she could feel magic threatening to burst over in her and she had no idea how to control it. It frightened her to no end and Hook seemed to notice this. She bit down on her lip, trying every tactic she could think of to calm down.

Counting to thirty.

Deep breaths.

Think of David.

It was the last thought that managed to calm down, as she imagined David's soft hands and gentle eyes.

"Well," Hook's voice interrupted her thoughts. "I need your help."

"My help?"

Hook nodded confidently.

"I was scratched by Dreamshade and…"

She interrupted him, her voice curious.

"Dreamshade?"

"It's a plant. It kills."

Regina lifted a brow and stared at him with disbelief.

"Why are you alive then?"

He sighed tiredly.

"Because I drank water from Neverland – it has magical properties. However, it prevents me from leaving."

Fear settled in her and she trembled slightly. The thought of staying here with him forever was terrifying.

"How am I supposed to help you?"

"It's simple. I heard you had magic. You need to heal me."

"How do you even know I can?"

Hook looked at her sincerely.

"I just know it. Please, Regina. I don't want to die."

"I have no control over my magic, Killian! I don't even know how to use it, I can't help you even if I wanted to – with you kidnapping me and all that."

Hook grabbed her hands in a pleading gesture and gazed into her eyes.

"I believe in you. Tink can help you channel the magic. Regina, I am begging you and I do not beg. Ever."

Once again she was struck by the beautiful colour of his eyes and her heart skipped a beat – much to her chagrin. She was supposed to hate this man… Not only did he kidnap her, but he had the nerve to tell lies about her father, the man she respected and loved above all others. She could not for a second, believe that her father would ever rip someone's heart out – much less someone he supposedly cared for. Besides, her mother was his only true love. Hook was mistaken and his attempts to turn her against his father would not work. She would try to help him, however. Not for him of course – simply because he was her way off this island and the second she could find a way to escape, she would. She would go back to her parents – and David – and she would forget all about this Captain Hook.


	9. Chapter 9

**Thank you for the lovely reviews! Know that they are appreciated.**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine - I just took them out to play with them a little while.**

Chapter 9

With Tinkerbell's help, Regina gained control of her magic quicker than anyone would have thought. She was just as strong as Hook had suspected and with every day that passed, he was more certain that she would be able to help him. They were lucky enough to have not been spotted by the Lost Boys yet which meant that they were safe – for now. Yet, he could not shake the feeling that their safety was temporary. The peace never lasted forever… sooner or later, they would have to be ready for a fight and he feared the day that would happen. He glanced over at where Regina sat next to Tinkerbell, a rare smile present on her face. She was stunning when she smiled – sadly, it never happened around him. Not that he blamed her – he did kidnap her after all. The problem was that he had no idea if he regretted it. Although he felt guilty – a strange feeling – he enjoyed her presence. A shrill whistle broke the silence and Hook froze, all colour draining from his face. Apparently his bad feeling was perfectly founded and he let out a breath, rushing to where Tink and Regina sat. Tink knew – he could see it on her face, but Regina was blissfully unaware of the danger suddenly surrounding them. He knew that Tink had managed to gain Pan's trust so he looked at her earnestly.

"Tink… run. You need to get as far away from us as possible."

There was no time for goodbyes and Tinkerbell sped away, not looking back once. Regina stood, confusion masking her face.

"Killian, what's going on?"

He did not reply and instead dragged her away wordlessly, breathing a sigh of relief when he found a hidden cave. He pushed her inside unceremoniously and followed, pressing her body against the cave wall with his own. His blue eyes burnt into hers anxiously and he covered her mouth with his good hand, lowering his voice to a whisper.

"Regina… you need to be quiet, very quiet right now. They can't find us."

Although she nodded he could see the unspoken questions in her eyes and he pushed closer to her, trying to shield her body with his own, without any idea why. Outside, he could hear the yells and war cries and his heartbeat sped up frantically. Her hand tugged at his arm to remove it from her mouth and she lowered her voice to an inaudible whisper.

"What is it?"

He leant his head forward, lips brushing against her ear softly.

"Lost boys. They are dangerous. They can't find us."

Perhaps it was the danger of the situation, but his lips against her ear sent wonderful chills down her body and her hands moved to his chest, grabbing hold of his shirt. Hook's eyes travelled over her features and he suddenly felt something akin to desire rush through him. Without being aware of it, his eyes travelled to her lips – lips he could only describe as luscious. He couldn't help it – as much as he wanted to. Regina pulled her head back as she saw his face lowering to hers, his lips aiming for a gentle kiss. She pushed him away forcefully, her eyes blazing.

"What do you think you're doing?"

If Hook had the decency to blush, he probably would have. As it was, he settled for cocky confidence.

"Come on, love. It's not like you haven't been thinking about it."

He was right – there were times when she wondered what it would be like to allow him to kiss her. She suspected that his kisses would be rough and passionate – so unlike David's gentle ones.

"Well, I haven't. I have no desire to kiss a dirty pirate."

Hook used his good hand to stroke over her face, unable to fathom his own peculiar behaviour.

"We are going to be stuck together for a while, love. Might as well make the best of it."

She pushed against him again, her lips pursed together.

"My dad will find me and he will kill you for what you've done. My dad will always protect me."

"If you ask me, he didn't do a very good job of protecting you if Smee managed to bring you here."

Regina folded her arms. It took all her self-control to not jump into Hook's arms when a loud war cry tore through the air close to him and he leaned forward once more, sensing her fear.  
"Right now, I'm the only one who can protect you, love. So you need to trust me."

Fear allowed Regina to bite back a retort and she rested her head against his shoulder, trying to keep her tears at bay. She just had to believe that her father would find her. She had no choice.

With every day that passed, Rumpelstiltskin got more and more frustrated. He could not believe that he had lost another child, and he was seriously starting to doubt his competence as a father. He had lost his son at no one's fault, but his own and now his daughter was missing too – and once again he could only blame himself. It was his thirst for revenge that caused Hook to kidnap her and by now… The chance that his daughter was dead, mocked him endlessly. He feared that Hook would be satisfied only when Regina was dead. There was only one solution, really. He had no choice, but to turn to the only thing that could give him the power to find and defeat Hook. He had to turn back to the darkness, he had to use magic. He had to become the Dark One again. His only problem was Cora. His wife would not be happy, seeing her husband revert to the inhumane, disfigured creature that he had been when they first met. Yet… He loved his daughter. Was that not enough reason to once more, be the most powerful sorcerer in existence?

"Rumple?"

Cora's voice shook him out of his reverie, and within seconds he could tell that she knew exactly what was going on in his mind. He reached for her hands and shook his head sadly.

"Cora… I have to do this. I have to save her."

Her hand moved to her chest carefully.

"If you want to be the Dark one again, Rumple… I don't know if it's something I can accept now. I have become so used to our light, our love… I am afraid that I do see it as a curse now. I am afraid that I will stand in your way."

Rumple looked down, ashamed of the emotion dancing in his eyes.

"If you see it as a curse, Cora… you can't love me. If we want to save Regina, we cannot let anything hold us back. Not even our love."

It wasn't a tough choice – not really. Without a second thought, Cora's hand moved to her chest and Rumple looked at her in awe when he saw the glowing heart in her hand.

"Cora…"

"You're right, Rumple. Nothing can stand in our way – we cannot let emotions cloud our judgement. Once we find her, we can go back to normal. But for now… for now, we need to focus."

Rumple nodded and took the heart out of her hands. He pulled her closer and kissed her gently on her forehead.

"I love you… and I promise I will take good care of your heart."


	10. Chapter 10

**Thank you for the lovely reviews! Know that they are appreciated. I feel like I should explain the Evil Charming feels... I reasoned that David and Regina grew up together - they are each other's first love, each other's comfort zone and then they are pulled away from each other. So I think that whatever feelings they have would be multiplied and romanticized. As for Hook... well, Regina is mortal and you've all seen Hook...**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine - I just took them out to play with them a little while.**

Chapter 10

This was it. It was easy, so easy, to go back to his old ways. Finally, after years, he could give in to the seductive voice of darkness once again. He could accept the power that he so needed and for a second, a possible future danced in front of him in a golden light.

Baelfire…

With the immense power, it was a possibility that he would not only get his daughter back, but his son too. Of course, he had to accept that he had no idea where Baelfire was, but once he found Regina he would be able to work on that. His family could be whole again.

He glanced at Cora, where she stood bent over a crystal ball, her blood swirling in it majestically. She had made the ultimate sacrifice – her heart. Her only focus now, was her daughter returning to them and her motivation was anger rather than love. Of course he hated seeing his loving wife having given up on all emotion, but he appreciated her sacrifice. Together they were too strong for Hook to avoid them. Together, they would find Regina and…

Rumple rolled his eyes when he saw the young man approaching him, and he folded his arms across his chest. The shepherd who claimed to love his daughter, but was too weak to protect her, was approaching their house rapidly – a look he guessed was supposed to resemble determination. Shock flew through David's eyes when he noticed Rumplestiltskin – the golden skin, impish laugh and cold eyes. This was not the man he had grown up to know. He moved closer carefully, unsure of what had happened to him. He found his voice after a long time, hoping that it did not sound as terrified is he was.

"I… I have decided to go and look for her."

The gleeful giggle escaped Rumple's lips.

"Good luck with that, dearie."

Cora glanced up, her cold eyes expressionless and David stared – taken aback. He refused to let their peculiar behaviour change his mind, however.

"I will find her and I will not give up before I do. I love her and…"

"Love?"

Cora spat the word out and approached him.

"Love is weakness, dear. Love will not help you find my daughter, love is what lost her. Hook's love for Milah, our love for Regina, your love for her…"

She was a broken woman, and she moved her hand to his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat with interest.

"I am sure you believe that you love her, David. But if it was not for that, perhaps you would not have been too distracted to notice the man kidnapping her. If it was not for your apparent love, my daughter would still be here."

David nodded and moved back, inexplicably frightened of her.

"Yes, I know. I know it was my fault, that I should have protected her. But I also know that despite what you think, despite your claims that love is weakness… I know that you love her and the second she comes back you will remember. You will remember that love makes you strong."

Something flashed in Cora's eyes, but he could not place it. She turned back to the crystal ball, clearly frustrated.

"I still can't find her, Rumple."

"Perhaps David here could be of assistance."

David approached them quickly, his fear all but forgotten.

"I will do anything."

Rumple turned to his cupboard and removed a small vial. He looked at it tenderly before he turned to David again.

"This is one of Regina's tears. I took it long ago – in case of a situation just like this."

He pulled another vial out of his cupboard, red liquid swirling in it.

"I need a tear and a drop of blood, dearie. If I have that, you will be telepathically connected to my daughter. You will see what she sees, hear what she thinks… you'd be able to communicate with her."

David folded his arms and held out his hand, allowing Rumple to prick his index finger for a drop of blood.

"Why are you only doing this now? Why did you not do it a year ago?"

"Because, dearie… it is dark magic. I clung to the belief that we could find her without it, but now that seems impossible. A tear, please."

It did not take much to cry – thoughts of Regina caused tears to form in his eyes at once and Rumple giggled when he had the tear. He mixed it with two drops of blood and held his hand over it. David watched in awe as the mixture turned into a translucent purple. Rumple moved forward and held the mixture over his eye with a sinister grin.

"I'm warning you, dearie… this might burn a little."

The sudden burn in her eyes was terrifying torture and Regina fell forward against Hook's chest with a muffled cry. Confused, he pulled her closer, folding his arms around her in a comforting embrace.

Hook was flabbergasted by the sobs ripping through her chest, even more so when she suddenly pushed him away and fell to her knees. He sat down behind her, his hand stroking over her back gently.

"Regina, love… what's going on?"

His words disappeared, a strange buzzing sound ringing in her ears and she covered them with her hands, chest heaving. Everything stopped suddenly and she looked around, confused.

"Regina?"

It was not possible. She was hallucinating, it could not be David's voice whispering in her ears.

"It is me, Gina. It's David."

"David?"

Her voice was small and Hook took a step back, watching her with a confused frown. She wrapped her arms around her legs and rested her chin on her knees. Her entire body trembled as she tried to focus on the voice.

"How is this possible? How can I hear you?"

There was a long silence before the voice spoke again.

"Your dad… he helped me. It's magic… Where are you, Gina?"

"Neverland… I'm in Neverland, David and I'm scared… I'm so scared, I don't…"

Her voice broke and she dissolved into tears, unaware of Hook still watching her intently.

"I will find you, Regina. I promise… Do you remember when we were kids…? I promised that I'd save you, Gina and I will."

He hesitated before his next confession, unsure of whether it was a good idea to admit it.

"Gina… I love you."

More sobs tore through her and she hugged her legs even closer.

"I love you too, David… I love you too."

Where he stood behind her, Hook pursed his lips. So she had someone she loved… and perhaps he would have felt guilty – was it not for the fact that it was her father who ripped his true love away from him. He moved forward and jerked Regina up with his good hand. His voice was gruff, angry, when he spoke.

"Enough. You've said enough. We will leave tonight – you will fix the Jolly Roger right now or you will die."

It was the last words David heard before the world went white around him and he came back to reality with a gasp. Rumple was in front of him the second his eyes open, his hands clutching at David's shirt.

"Where is she?"

David swallowed with difficulty and looked up at Rumple, scared.

"She's in Neverland."


	11. Chapter 11

**Thanks again for the reading and reviews!**

**Major Stockholm syndrome... I mean Hooked Queen feels in this chapter. Evil Charming fans - please check out my other fic, Never say Never!**

**Don't own 'em.**

Chapter 11

The fear in David's voice quickly carried over to Rumple's heart. He had been to Neverland before and the place was a dark hell of terror and nightmares. The thought of his daughter, his child being there… It terrified him beyond all logic. Regina was too sensitive, too innocent, to be exposed to that. It was not right. He bent forward, trying with all his might to summon the strength to go on.

"I will have to make a portal. We will go and save her."

His words were directed at Cora, however it was David who replied swiftly.

"I'm going with you."

Rumple stared at him silently for a minute, as if weighing the man and finding him too light.

"You will not. You'll only slow us down."

David lifted his chin stubbornly. He would not plead. They simply did not have a choice other than to let him follow.

"Regina is my best friend. I made her a promise that I would always save her and that is exactly what I am going to do. I love her and I made the mistake of not saying it on time. I want to fix this. She has to know how I feel."

Rumple nodded after a long silence. Something in the young man's voice managed to convince him of his determination. Perhaps it would be a good idea to take him along. Besides, magic always had a price and if a sacrifice was needed, David would be the perfect candidate.

"We leave at the end of the week. Be prepared."

Hook was furious. After Regina's strange conversation with an invisible entity, her mood had changed. She seemed more positive, upbeat – as if she knew something he didn't. It simply would not do if her father was to find her. As thirsty as Hook was for revenge, fighting the Dark One was not something he was prepared to do – he was not prepared to die. At least not yet. He glared over at where Regina sat on a rock and approached her blindly. Fear flashed in her eyes when he grabbed her upper arm, pulling her up to him.

"Your magic. It has to be strong enough when we combine it with Tink's. You will fix the Jolly Roger immediately and you will find a way to keep me alive when I leave this place."

Regina's widened. Just like Hook could see the change in her, she noticed the change in him. However, his change was certainly not for the better. Instead he had become moody, grumpy and downright unbearable and the realization sank to her stomach. He knew. He knew that David and her parents were on their way and he did not want them to find her. She crossed her arms and glared at him stubbornly.

"And what if I don't?"

Hook moved closer to her, once again invading the personal bubble she preferred around her.

"If you do not do it today, I will kill you."

If he had made that particular threat a week ago, Regina would not have believed him for a second. As it was, she was too aware of the seriousness in his voice. She knew he would not hesitate to kill her – not if the risk of her family coming to Neverland was there. She nodded quietly and rubbed her upper arms in a nervous gesture.

"I'll try."

Hook shook his head, his face masked in an ugly grimace.

"No, love. You will not try. You will do it."

It took all of Tink's strength, along with Regina's to fix the Jolly Roger. By binding Hook and the water to each other with a simple enchantment, they agreed that his life would not be in jeopardy when they left. However, fixing the ship was a more daunting task. Hook watched without emotion as they worked together, barely noticing the fatigue taking hold of them. Tink mumbled an apology before letting her hands fall to her side, unable to continue with the severe spells. Regina shot her a wide eyed glance, shocked by the fairy's betrayal. The murderous look in Hook's eyes convinced her to continue, no matter what. She could feel the magic draining her energy, her strength. Only when the ship was good as new did Regina drop her hands. She swung on her feet dazedly for a few seconds before sinking to the ground. Before her body could hit the ground, however, she felt herself being caught by a strong pair of arms. Through the dazed darkness, she could hear a sympathetic voice whispering in her ear.

"I'm sorry, love. I did not want to hurt you, but we have to get out of here. We do not have a choice. I'm sorry…"

When Regina awoke hours later, she was safely tucked into a bed on a moving ship. She shivered when the reality of her situation came back to her and moved to her feet carefully. With a shrug of her shoulders she took to exploring the beautiful ship, only stopping when she found Hook where he steered it with the familiar nonchalance that he so often showed. A smile broke through his façade when he saw her and he beckoned her closer.

"How are you feeling, love?"

Regina looked at him suspiciously for a few seconds before approaching her.

"Better."

He held his hand out to her and pulled her towards him.

"Would you like to steer the ship for a while?"

It was as though he could see into the deepest parts of her soul, as though he could read her hidden desire for adventure just by looking in her eyes. She nodded hesitantly and he moved to stand behind her. Once again, his mouth was frighteningly close to her ear and she shivered as hand and hook covered her own hands.

"I'll help you. Let's go."

She tried to ignore his breath against her face or his hand moving on her own as she steered the ship carefully. It became harder to ignore him when his lips moved closer to her face, brushing over her cheek before moving down to her neck. Regina's breath hitched in her throat and she closed her eyes, unwilling to allow herself to feel anything.

"Killian, don't…"

What was supposed to be a forceful command, turned out to be a hoarse whisper and he spun her round to press his body against hers.

"Do you really want me to stop, love?"

His lips covered hers before she could answer and her hands moved of their own accord, grabbing on to his neck. His kiss was lighter than she had imagined it would be and she could not help but compare it with a forbidden fruit – sweet torture that would break you, but you could not get enough of it. A gasp left her mouth when he lifted her, pressing her back against the steering wheel of the ship and moving his kisses down to her neck once more. Regina's brain seemed to come to a complete standstill as she wrapped her legs around his waist for some stability. Hook had no idea what he was doing – he supposed the long period of solitude he had gone through had completely cracked his sanity. She was the daughter of his sworn enemy and he could not manage to pull his lips away from hers. He deepened the kiss impulsively and celebrated inside when she did not pull away, but rather responded to his growing kisses. At the back of her mind, Regina noted that this was closer to what she had expected from him – not gentle, sweet kisses, but kisses laced with desire and passion. He pulled away suddenly, his eyes shadowed with desire as he observed the woman in front of her. The long time in Neverland had completely destroyed her dress and she was now clothed in one of his shirts and a pair of his pants that she had shrunk by magic. It was ridiculous attire for a woman, but seemed to fit her perfectly. Regina leaned forward to rest her forehead against his, her breath racing.

"What are you doing?"

Her voice was small and Hook cupped her chin with his hand, pushing her away far enough to look her in the eyes.

"Honestly, love… I don't know."

It was all he could manage to get out before their lips met fervently again and Regina pulled him even closer, unable to get enough of him. A small voice in the depths of her heart screamed at her for betraying David and his gentle kisses, but she did not manage to pull away from the irresistible pirate. His lips left hers again to trace patterns over her neck and shoulders and she threw her head back, allowing her to enjoy the fluttering in her stomach. It was wrong – she was making out with a dirty pirate who kidnapped her and yet… Yet she could not stop. She didn't want to stop. Regina wasn't aware of Hook walking with her mouth glued to his once more, she couldn't focus on anything other than his lips on her mouth and his hand travelling over her back gently. Only when she felt a soft mattress under her back, did she realize that they had moved away. Fear flushed through her when he pinned her body underneath his and his hand started travelling to her clothes. All fear was forgotten, however, when he kissed her again and even while she entertained the thought that it was wrong, Regina kissed him back with all the passion she could master – giving in to a secret desire that she never wanted to admit.


	12. Chapter 12

**Thanks again for the continued reading and reviewing! A note on Regina - I know that she is VERY OOC, but up to this point she has been leading an extremely sheltered life. Chances are that she might still turn into the Regina we all know and love...**

**Disclaimer: Not mine.**

Chapter 12

Regina's peaceful breathing echoed through Hook's ear and he moved his arm to pull her small body even closer to him. He could not help but smile when he glanced at her sleeping face buried in his shoulder. He supposed the strenuous activities had tired her out. It was definitely not something he had ever planned on – sleeping with the Dark One's daughter. Yet he could not bring himself to regret it. Her inexperience had made her nervous and for the first time in his life, Hook could not manage to take a woman roughly and be done with her. It took every ounce of self-control he had, but he wanted to take his time with her – he wanted to be sweet and slow, he wanted to show her how precious she was. If the thought of her family finding her was unappealing before, it was now an idea he loathed with his whole being. He wanted to keep her with him, close to him as long as possible. For the first time since Milah's death, he did not want to let go of a woman. The irony was not lost on him – first he had fallen in love with the Dark One's wife and now with his daughter. It seemed as though he could not escape the woman in the imp's life. He turned his face and placed a gentle kiss on Regina's forehead. He knew that he was supposed to move from her gentle grip, he was supposed to fulfil his duties as captain and steer the ship, he was supposed to forget that this had happened and move on. He was unable to though and a deep sigh left his lips. Smee could steer the ship, he had full confidence in the man's abilities. He would stay exactly where he was, with Regina wrapped in his arms. The thought that it might not be forever scared him, so he decided that he would hold her close. As long as it was possible. She stirred in her sleep, moving against him – clearly unaware of exactly how seductive he was. Without a second thought, Hook moved his head to brush his lips against hers. Regina's eyelids fluttered and she smiled shyly when she found his eyes burning into hers.

"Hey…"

Hook's voice was gruff and she bit down on her lower lip. He groaned inwardly – why in the worlds was everything she did so darn seductive? He sighed and bent his head down, burying it in her shoulder. His stubble scratched against her soft skin and he pulled his head away suddenly.

"You will be the end of me, woman."

Minutes ticked by in which they simply stared at each other, then Regina moved – wrapping the blankets around her as she sat up.

"That was not supposed to happen."

Her voice sounded small and insecure and he sat too, pulling her into his embrace.

"Probably not, but… I'm glad it did, Regina. You… I don't know what spell you cast on me, but I do not want it to end."

Again, thoughts of David stirred within her – her childhood friend, the one she loved. Despite her pure love for David, however, she could not deny that the passion she felt when she was with Killian was something she had never experienced before. She was suddenly uncomfortable at the realization that the first man she allowed to explore the most intimate parts of her was a pirate. Surely this was extremely improper! There was no way she would ever marry him! Yet, when Killian bent his head down to capture her lips once more she did not stop him – she gave in to the sinful delight of the most handsome pirate to ever grace the seven seas… for a second. Then reality hit her and she jumped up, holding the blankets around her body as she fled from his cabin.

Tragedy struck before David could join Rumple and Cora for their travels across the world – his day started out like any other until he saw the band of knights arriving on their doorstep. For some reason, he just knew that they spelt trouble and he was proven right when he arrived inside their home to find his mother in a miserable heap on the floor, her body shaking with sobs. It did not take long for him to find out the story behind their presence – and what an unbelievable story it was. He had a twin brother named James, who grew up as a prince in the kingdom of King George. However, his twin brother was killed before he could manage to kill a dragon in King Midas' kingdom and now it was up to him, David, to slay the dragon. He did not want to – of course he did not want to, however well whispered threats of what would happen to his mother managed to convince him. Thus he left with them – leaving behind not only his mother, but also all chances of finding the girl he loved. Ruth's heart was broken, and if Cora still had hers there was no doubt it would have pained for the loss of the young man they had seen growing up as well. Even Rumple – despite denying it – felt a sense of loss when he saw the knights leaving, with David captured between them.

"Stop them! Rumpelstiltskin, stop them please!"

Ruth was grabbing onto his arm, begging, pleading and yet… he was frozen. It wasn't so much that he did not want to save David – he cared for the boy in some way. Yet, he couldn't. It was as though destiny had intervened in the cruellest of ways, freezing him to his spot with Ruth's screams echoing in his ears and…

He came out of his reverie with a gasp, only to notice that the king's men had left – with David. Ruth had sunk to the floor, her body heaving with sobs and Rumple knelt down next to her.

"I'm sorry, dearie."

She batted his hands away angrily and folded them around herself.

"You blamed him! You blamed him for them taking Gina and now… now he's gone too. I know you have magic, powerful magic. You could have stopped them, but you didn't!"

Rumple assumed that this was karma – or payback form a distraught woman who did not realize how her words affected him.

_You could have stopped them, but you didn't._

So close to the scathing words he had spat out in David's direction after Regina was taken. Cora had moved inside the house, still shell-shocked from the spectacle that had played out right in front of her. Rumple sat down next to Ruth and buried his hands in his hair.

"You're right, Ruth. It is my fault… It was my fault that Regina was kidnapped and I could have saved David just now, but I froze… It's my fault, but I will get them back.

Ruth was quiet for a long time, then she reached out and took his hands between her own.

"Please, Rumpelstiltskin... Do your best. Bring them back to us. Both of them."


	13. Chapter 13

**Thanks for the reading, reviewing and following! **

**Forgive all liberties taken - I am going somewhere with it, I promise. :P**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine.**

Chapter 13

Hook found her leaning over the railing of the ship, her eyes staring into the far off distance. The blankets were wrapped snugly around her and her hair fell down her back in a black waterfall.

"Regina, love…"

He reached for her arm, but she jerked away from him.

"Regina?"

"Let me be, pirate."

Her voice almost carried a royal air in it, and he would have laughed had it not been for his confusion.

"Am I back to pirate now, love? And here I thought we were getting on so well."

"I don't love you."

Hook smirked to himself and moved closer to her again. His good hand pushed her hair back from her face and he looked at her with his usual confidence.

"Who said anything about loving each other?"

He could see from the look in her eyes that his words had shocked her and he was almost surprised. It seemed as though the Dark One had not made the same mistakes with his little girl as he did with Baelfire. An ache tingled through Hook's heart – everything always came back to the Dark One. The woman he loved who was the Dark One's wife. They boy he had seen as family, who was the Dark One's son and now the Dark One's daughter… well, he wasn't sure what the girl meant to him yet – he just knew there was something.

"I'm sorry, lo… I'm sorry, Regina."

She wiped tears from her face and shrugged sadly. A part of her entertained the idea of apologizing to him too – for snapping at him, for making him believe he was the only one at fault for what she had willingly given him… Yet, she didn't. She lifted her chin stubbornly. He did not deserve any apologies from her – he had kidnapped her, he was a thief, a looter, a criminal, a… he was a pirate. He wasn't a good man like David or her father. When she looked at him, he was trying to smile gently – a strange expression on _his_ face. Regina lifted a brow and looked at him questioningly.

"Why don't you go… get dressed, love? I'll try to catch us dinner."

She nodded slowly before heading down to the cabins, stopping when she heard his voice following her.

"There are… there are some dresses in my cabin, love. In the trunk next to my bed."

He heard a muffled insult at him leave her mouth before her footsteps disappeared completely.

"She's a feisty one, Captain."

Hook sighed and leaned over the railings.

"That she is, Smee. That she is…"

Rumple found Cora exactly where he knew she would be. Standing in their room, holding her heart in her hands. He met his eyes, reading in them a desperate need.

"Cora…"

"David was taken away, Rumple. David, the boy who had grown up right in front of our eyes. Gina's best friend and… I don't feel a thing. I am supposed to feel something."

Rumple was in front of her with a few steps and he cupped her face in his hands.

"Then you should, dearie. Feel something – even if it is just for a minute, but… don't destroy yourself before we find our daughter. She'll never forgive me."

The heart shook in her hands and Rumple reached for it carefully. She did not make a move to stop him when he gently returned it to her chest and in that instant, she allowed herself to get lost in the emotions that swirled through her.

Pain.

Anguish.

Fear.

Anxiety.

Anger.

Hope.

Gratitude.

Love.

"Rumple…"

She was in his arms at once and he embraced her gently, allowing her to weep against his shoulders. Somehow, he managed to put his own emotions and heartache aside and just comfort his wife – his darling wife who was willing to give up herself in the quest for their child.

Regina was dressed in a simple brown dress that belonged to Milah, when she made her way up to the deck again. For a while, Hook was able to study her without her knowledge. The dress was a little loose around her small body – and a little long too. Yet, she looked beautiful. Not that he would tell her – there was no way. He turned his eyes away from her, only allowing himself to glance at her when she stood right next to him. She leaned her forearms on the railing, staring down at the ocean silently.

"Tell me about your childhood, love."

There it was – the annoying nickname he had taken too and she rolled her eyes with a repressed huff. His question intrigued her, however, and she looked at him curiously.

"Why do you want to know anything about my childhood?"

Hook turned away from the water and inspected her once more. Again he was struck by how unlike his expectations of the daughter of the Dark One was. Not only in appearance, but in personality too.

"You're not who I imagined you would be. You seem like you grew up quite… sheltered."

Without wanting it to, a smile appeared on Regina's face.

"I guess I did… My dad was very protective of me. My mom too, but dad… He tried shielding me from anything that could hurt me. I remember once… I was playing outside – quite the tomboy – and I decided to climb the highest tree around. When I reached the top, I slipped and fell. I braced myself, but before I could hit the ground my dad was there and he caught me. He promised…"

Her voice broke slightly and she avoided his gaze.

"He promised me that as long as he lived… he would never let anything hurt me."

"Do you believe him, love?"

He had meant the question to be sarcastic, but it came out almost… sympathetic and Regina nodded at once.

"I'll always believe my dad. He loves me and… no matter where I am, Killian… it's just a matter of time before he finds me."

"You miss them."

Her voice heightened in pitch slightly and her eyes widened.

"Of course I miss them! They are my family and no… no adventure, no experience could make up for that! I love them and I want to be with them."

Family.

Hook suddenly rushed forward and wordlessly turned the ship around. Regina frowned and grabbed at his arm, startled by the sudden movement.

"What are you doing?"

"Change of plan, love. There is somewhere we need to go."

She was confused, that much was clear, but Hook did not give it a second thought. It had been years since the unfortunate incident with Baelfire, but he knew without doubt where the boy was. After all, he had spent all these years – with the help of Tink, of course – to locate him, to keep an eye over him and now… Hook knew that Baelfire hated him and that he did not want to see him again, yet… After what had been taken from the boy, he now finally had something to give him.

He would give Baelfire his sister.

"Where are we going?"

"Brace yourself, love. We're going to another land… a land without magic."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

**In my mind, time in the Enchanted Forest and time in the 'real' world works in different ways – let's just say time in the Forest moves much slower… Anjyu – basically, Regina came up with a plan that will be explained in the next chapter. ;) **

**Thanks everyone for the follows, reading and reviews! **

**On a different note - Regina and Robin on 3x12... It just melts my heart!**

Neal Cassidy was sick and tired of being alone. Quite frankly, he was sick of growing up too – as much as he despised Neverland, there was some semblance of company. As much as he despised Hook, he was someone to talk to – to connect with. New York City was majestic and beautiful, but alone… it was pure torture. He could only stare with jealousy at all the people who passed by him – people who were lucky enough to have normal lives, lives untouched by magic. He was quite amused by their interest in magic, however. He had devoured all the fairy tale books he could get his hands on and although some of the characters were people he actually knew, he could not help but laugh at the ridiculous plots they had come up with.

Peter Pan being a good guy? As if.

Robin Hood as a cute furry fox? The man would be beyond offended!

His father… the story of Rumpelstiltskin was by far his favourite – even though the darkness in it was not nearly as intense as the truth. The story told of an impish monster who wanted to steal a baby from a woman he had helped spin straw into gold. It said nothing about the millions of people he had killed, about the suffering he had caused… It said nothing about the son he had lost. It gave him a sense of comfort though, seeing the – inaccurately portrayed – pictures of his father. In truth, the land without magic had quite a warped idea about good and evil. He had learned from experience that no one was born evil, no one was pure evil – one was warped into it by circumstances, fear, the seduction of darkness and the desperate need for power. He closed his eyes and lied back on the park bench he had claimed for himself. Another fairy tale book rested on his stomach – Snow White and the seven dwarves. This was one he had never heard of – the story of a beautiful princess who was on the run from her evil stepmother simply because she had overtaken the other woman in beauty. Neal snorted. For some reason, the story did not make sense at all – growing up with a supposed evil father, he had quickly learnt that reasons for being or doing evil went far beyond petty jealousy. Perhaps there was more to the story. A glimmer of silver reflected by the son caught his eye and he turned his head.

Everything stopped.

The world around him was frozen as he sat up straight, the book falling to the ground – forgotten already. Even without the silver hook, he would have recognized the man anywhere. The young woman with him was a whole different story, however – he had never seen her before and he had no idea what she was doing with Hook. The longer he looked at her, the more familiar she seemed however. Hook's eyes caught his and Neal's breath hitched in his throat. He didn't want to, he hated the man and yet he could not stop his feet from moving in the direction of the other man slowly. The book Neal had dropped lay forgotten on the ground, the wind playing through its pages. Had he looked back, perhaps he would have recognized the resemblance between the young woman next to Hook and the Evil Queen, laughing manically on one of the pages.

"Baelfire…"

Regina frowned at the name escaping Hook's lips and then glanced at the man who was walking over to them slowly. She estimated him to be about twenty five, a handsome, tall man with familiar eyes.

"Captain Hook."

The man only spoke when he was close to them and his voice held a trace of hope, overshadowed by resentment.

"Bae. Long time, no see mate. You got older."

Baelfire grimaced and folded his arms.

"That is what happens when you leave Neverland, Hook. You grow up. Something you are clearly still afraid to do, since you look exactly the same as you did a century ago."

Instead of being insulted, Hook simply grinned.

"Well, dear Baelfire, you too look good for your age."

Baelfire looked away and his eyes fell on Regina, who was cowering behind Hook uncomfortably.

"Who is this?"

Hook grinned and flung his arm around Regina's shoulders. She shook it off with a huff and stepped away from him.

"She is the reason why we are here, Bae."

Both Baelfire and Regina now looked at Hook curiously, asking the same question at once.

"Why?"

Hook laughed at the resemblance he immediately noticed between them, and gestured to both his and Regina's clothes.

"I suggest we get dressed in something less conspicuous and find something to eat, then I will tell you the whole story."

Of course the pirate would not even be there for five minutes before starting to spend Neal's money. He nodded curtly, however and held his hand out to Regina.

"I'm Baelfire… in this world I go by Neal."

Her small hand disappeared in his as she shook it and she smiled nervously.

"I'm Regina."

"Pretty name," he observed casually. "It suits you."

He turned without giving her a chance to thank him and gestured for the pair to follow him. They did so wordlessly, unsure of where they were going. Hook pointedly ignored the suspicious glances Regina kept giving him and followed Baelfire silently, hoping that giving a brother and sister each other was enough redemption for at least some of his sins.

The second Rumpelstiltskin and Cora set foot into Neverland he knew. He knew beyond all doubt that his daughter was no longer there. They were outsmarted by a bloody pirate! Rumpelstiltskin swallowed and glanced at his wife. Cora was looking at the dark forest intently, her thoughts somewhere else. Although neither of them would admit it out loud, they were both frightened beyond comprehension. Just the idea of what that pirate could have done to their poor, innocent daughter… A tree exploded behind him and he swung round to see his wife with her hands in the air, fury blazing in her eyes.

"Cora…"

"She's not here, Rumple! Our daughter… is not here. That blasted pirate! I will find him and I will kill him with my bare hands! I will rip his heart out and…"

Rumpelstiltskin moved forward quickly, silencing her rant with his lips. Cora succumbed to the kiss and pushed him away after a few minutes, confusion etched on her face.

"Rumple, what are you doing?"

Rumpelstiltskin tucked a strand of hair in behind her face.

"I know you are angry, dearie. I know your entire being is consumed with vengeance and fury, but… I love you. And we'll find her."

In another time and place, she would have returned his sentiments. Here, where they were, she could not however. She simply stared at him with her beautiful, empty eyes and allowed him to hold her hands and listened to his desperate promises.

"We'll find her, Cora and when we do… when we do we'll be whole again. We'll be a family again, you will have your heart and we will have our daughter."

Cora nodded quietly as she looked into her husband's eyes, absorbing all the love he carried for her. She almost smiled.

Almost.


	15. Chapter 15

**Thanks again for the reading and reviews… It seems as though this story is slowly losing interest, so if something happened to turn you off – please do share, I aim to please! I would love for you to review, I truly am interested in knowing what you think about this story. Thanks!**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine.**

Chapter 15

Killian Jones worshipped chaos. Of course he enjoyed introducing the two children of Rumpelstiltskin to each other – specifically because they were completely unaware of each other's existence. He waited until they were seated in a restaurant, glaring at the waitress who eyed his hook suspiciously.

"I lost my hand, love. Do you have a problem with it?"

The poor girl stumbled over her words before rushing away and both Neal and Regina looked at Hook irritably. It was Regina who voiced their thoughts.

"Really, Killian! It's not necessary to be rude to the poor girl."

Killian smirked and turned to Baelfire… Neal… whatever he was called. Neal looked at Regina curiously – the way in which she stood up against Hook fascinated him.

"So… who exactly are you, Regina?"

Now was his chance. Before Regina could answer, a wide grin spread over Hook's face.

"She's your sister, mate."

It was hard to say who was more shocked – Regina or Neal. They stared at Hook, horrified, before looking at each other – confused. Neal found his voice first, gasping for breath.

"But… you… you and my mom…"

Given their intimate activities a while back, both Regina and Hook shuddered at the implication Neal inadvertently made. Hook scowled and shook his head quickly.

"No, no, no, no! She's not my daughter. She's your father's daughter."

Everything started to blur and Neal shook his head, unable to fathom the meaning behind Hook's words.

"But… I don't understand. My father is the Dark One. Who would want that, who would want to love him?"

It was Regina's turn to frown and she tilted her head to look at Neal.

"What do you mean he's the Dark One?"

Hook's grin spread as he addressed Neal.

"It seems Rumpelstiltskin was quite willing to give up his dark powers… for his daughter. Isn't that why you left, _Baelfire_? Because he wouldn't give it up for you?"

Anger stirred in both Neal and Regina's eyes, making the resemblance between them as clear as it possibly could. Regina's hand clutched Hook's arm and her eyes spat fire at him.

"It's not necessary to be cruel. It wasn't about me and…"

She turned to Neal, her eyes soft.

"Neal… I'm sure he regretted it, I'm sure he loves you."

Neal grimaced and leaned back in his chair.

"Yet, he never told you about me. That doesn't seem like someone who regrets it, does it?" Truth be told, Regina did not have an explanation for her… their… father's silence. She did not understand why he never told her that she had a brother, why they never went looking for him… She reached for Neal's hands, a warm feeling settling in her heart. Sure, she did not know him and yet… the knowledge that he was family was of great comfort to her.

"Neal, I don't know why he didn't tell me. Perhaps he was scared or ashamed of himself, but I know in my heart that he misses you."

Neal shook his head with a sigh and was spared an answer when the waitress arrived with their food. Hook looked at the pair with a smug grin as they picked at the food in front of them.

"I have a proposition for the two of you."

Neal looked at Hook with clear distrust.

"What?"

To Regina's horror, he flung an arm around her shoulder and she shook it off at once.

"Your dear little sister is sailing the world with me. I propose you join us, and then the two of you get to know each other."

Regina looked at Hook pleadingly, silently praying for an escape from the sea, the sailing, the seductive, dirty, alluring, idiotic pirate.

"Why can't I just stay with Neal here?"

Hook laughed out loud, causing her to jump slightly.

"Come on, love! I kidnapped you. Obviously I am not going to let you go just like that!"

Regina was silent, but Neal's eyes blazed fire as he looked at Hook – who had so nonchalantly admitted to kidnapping his sister.

"You kidnapped her? Why would you do that?"

"To get revenge, of course. Now what do you say, Bae? Will you join us?"

He knew Hook well – too well, and he knew that he would disappear in seconds if he had the slightest inclination that Regina would be left behind. There was no way of taking her from him without either him or his sister dying in the process. Hook was ruthless and surprisingly smart. There was only one way to protect his sister.

"Fine. I'll come with you."

It was hours later when they boarded the ship, Neal keeping as close to his sister as possible. He frowned when he noticed Hook taking a sip from a strange looking bottle, filled with glowing liquid.

"What's that?"

Hook smiled and glanced at Regina, who was standing at the railing again – clearly seething.

"It's water from Neverland. I was unfortunate enough to be scratched by Dreamshade, so your darling sister enchanted the water to never finish. Quite resourceful, don't you think?"

Neal smirked as his eyes followed the bottle in Hook's hand.

"Quite brave, don't you think? What would you do if the bottle happened to get lost? Or break?"

Hook grinned arrogantly.

"Surely you don't think I am that stupid? I made her link her life to the bottle. The second it breaks or leaves my care… she will die."

Where she stood, Regina shot Hook a contemptuous look. Blasted pirate! She hated him for manipulating her so easily and she hated herself even more for allowing it. She looked up when Neal appeared next to her and he touched her arm gently.

"Hey."

Regina smiled reluctantly as she looked at him.

"Hey… This is strange, isn't it? I mean… not just for me. It's strange for you too, right?"

Neal nodded with a gruff laugh.

"Trust me, you have no idea how strange it is for me. So… how long have you been with Hook?"

She shrugged, suddenly looking quite sad.

"I don't even know anymore… I've lost track of the time, but it feels like forever. You don't trust him, do you?"

Neal grimaced and shook his head.

"Not in the slightest. He's a liar and a thief. Not to mention – he is pretty much the most selfish person in the entire world."

Regina nodded slowly.

"Yeah, he does love himself quite a lot, doesn't he?"

Neal snorted with laughter.

"Oh, that he does!"

Hook looked up at their laughter and smirked to himself. For some reason, he severely disliked the idea of Regina being angry with him. He enjoyed hearing her laughter.

David had been a prisoner in King George's palace for what felt like a thousand years and he despised every moment of it. He did not enjoy the royal life in the slightest – it was keeping him from finding his best friend. He was supposed to train to slay a dragon. As if a mere shepherd had the slightest chance of doing that! He stared out the window stubbornly. George had urged him to forget about the girl who held his heart captive, mumbling something about a deal and a princess under his breath. David paid no mind to it – he would not allow anyone to force him into a marriage! He would slay the blasted dragon somehow and then he would be on his merry way. He had a reason to live – he had a promise to keep and there was no way a dragon would best him before he fulfilled that specific promise.


	16. Chapter 16

**Aawh thanks for the reviews – I feel much better now! :P **

**I have always promised myself that I would never beg for reviews, but those of you who write – you know how badly we need affirmation, right? Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

Chapter 16

To say that Cora hated Neverland would be an understatement. The place was ridiculous, with Pan trying to be scary and Rumple out of his wits. She was beyond annoyed where she sat on a log. To make it even more fun, they had no way of getting out of there because somehow her husband had been turned into a useless puddle of misery. She glanced at him where he sat on the ground, mumbling to himself softly. Had her heart still been beating in her chest, she would have felt sympathy for him. As it was, she felt only annoyance.

" Rumple! Snap out of it!"

Rumple looked up at his wife with dead eyes. As much as he loved her, he could not muster any energy to have a proper conversation with her. He had only one thing on his mind.

_Pan._

_Peter._

_Peter Pan._

_Malcolm._

_Peter Pan._

_Father._

Memories were stirring within him – awful memories of being abandoned by his father, guilt of doing the same to his son, more guilt for failing to protect his daughter, fear of what his father could do to him, to Cora…

A loud cheer in the distance tore through the air and Rumple bent over, his heart nearly beating out of his chest. He knew.

Peter Pan knew he was there and he was on his way.

They were on their way back to the Enchanted Forest and Neal could feel Regina's excitement. He was not quite as excited as his sister was – he knew Hook would die before handing the Dark One's daughter back to him. He suspected that Hook's plan was to kill his father as a trade for Regina's life. She was happy, however, and he did not want to ruin that!  
The peace that had been on the boat for the last few weeks ended in a moment, when Hook's scream alerted them to the presence of another ship.

"Baelfire, get a weapon! Regina, hide!"

Not one to hide, Regina rushed up to the deck and Hook rolled his eyes when she appeared next to him.

"Really, love. When I say hide, I do not mean come out in the open where everyone can spot you."

"What's going on?"

Her voice was worried, yet stubborn and Hook pointed to a ship in the distance.

"That's one of the King's ships. They're going to attack and we're severely outnumbered. You need to hide."

"I can help!"

Hook scoffed and shook his head firmly. He respected the young woman – she was not only beautiful, but brave and smart too. He would not let her risk her life. Not for him.

In a moment, he had her pressed against the railing and his lips brushed against hers in an almost gentle manner.

"Regina, you need to listen to me. Bae and I can do this. Hide. Please."

She shook her head stubbornly until she felt her brother's hand on her arm.

"Listen to him, Regina."

Baelfire's voice clearly showed that he would take no nonsense and Regina nodded, her mouth suddenly dry. Baelfire was her brother, she cared for him. He was family.

Hook… was Hook. He was infuriating, handsome, annoying and alluring. Strange as it may have sounded, she regarded him as a friend – just a friend, despite the one enormous mistake that had taken place between the two of them. Now these two men were about to risk their lives – she could lose them both and end up alone and the thought terrified her. Yet, she moved to her cabin below deck – deciding to hide. For the moment.

Once Regina heard the scuffling sound of people moving, followed by the clashing of swords, she grabbed onto a sword hidden in Hook's cabin and made her way up to the deck.

Blood.

It was the first thing she saw and she had to bite back the urge to vomit. She would not be weak! Hook and Bae were each fighting two men at a time, their swords moving swiftly and Regina spun around when she heard a sound behind her, clumsily swinging her sword.

Ducking the sword, King Leopold was surprized to see the striking beauty of the woman swinging it. He out manoeuvred her quickly, causing her to drop her sword as he caught both her wrists in one hand. Regina swallowed nervously as she looked at the man towering above her.

This was it.

Her imminent death was knocking and she lifted her chin, exposing the flawless skin of her neck.

"If you want to kill me, then do it. I will not die hiding."

Leopold shook his head with a kind laugh.

"I am not going to kill you, my lady."

How could she think that he would ever kill a poor, innocent woman kidnapped by a pirate?

"I'm going to save you."

"Hey! Hey! Leave her alone!"

Hook's voice tore through the air and he stormed forward, decapitating three men on his way over to them.

"Leave her alone!"

Leopold grabbed onto Regina's upper arm, pulling her towards him so her body effectively shielded him from Hook's sword.

"Let the Lady go, Captain and we will leave you and your ship unharmed."

Hook took a step closer, his hand outstretched towards Regina.

"No. What do you want with her?"

"I simply want to free her from a pirate's hold. She deserves more. She deserves a good life, Pirate. Can you give that to her?"

Regina could see the doubt in Hook's eyes – could it be possible that he was actually considering it to give her to the king?

"Hook… please. Killian…"

Two pairs of eyes met – blue and brown, connecting intensely. Regina shook her head slightly, silently pleading for Hook to let her stay. An anguished scream caught her attention and her breath hitched in her throat when she saw her brother kneeling over, a sword pressed to his neck. She attempted moving forward, trying to get away from the King's grip.

"No! Don't kill him, please!"

She turned to the king desperately, her eyes pleading.

"I'll go with you. They'll let me go with you, just don't hurt them. Please, don't hurt them."

Hook's eyes widened as he looked at Regina. King Leopold thought for a minute. She was a beautiful woman - that much was certain. He was just a man, one whose wife had died a few years ago. He was lonely. A part of him wanted to retreat and forget he had ever seen her – she seemed to care for the two pirates and yet… he couldn't leave her. Not someone like her. So he nodded and led Regina off the pirate ship, over the makeshift bridge to their own – allowing her only one glance back at Hook and her brother, as they stood helplessly – watching her disappear onto a royal ship.

It took both Hook and Baelfire long minutes before they managed to move, both running to the railing. Baelfire's eyes were filled with tears as he stared at the disappearing ship, his voice disappearing in the wind.

"Regina! Regina!"

He turned to Hook suddenly, grabbing the man by his collar.

"How could you? How could you let her go?"

Hook pushed Baelfire away angrily, his own eyes blazing.

"Do you really think I pushed her into the king's arms? She agreed to go, mate. She offered to go before I could stop her!"

"You should have tried harder! I just found her, now she's gone!"

Hook pursed his lips, not wanting to show his own emotional turmoil at the loss of Regina.

"You didn't find her, mate! I brought her to you and… you're not the only one who lost her!"

Baelfire shoved Hook again, not bothering to hide his emotions as the pirate was attempting to do.

"Lost her? She wasn't yours to lose! You kidnapped her!"

"And if I hadn't kidnapped her, you never would have met her!"

A long silence followed Hook's words and Baelfire turned away, his shoulders dropping. Hook sighed and rest his good hand on Baelfire's shoulder.

"We'll get her back, mate. We will get her back from that kingdom, I swear. We won't let them take her."


	17. Chapter 17

**Thanks for the positive feedback and reading! I had a bit of a struggle with this chapter… But hopefully I am over it now! Peter Pan and Rumple's confrontation will take place in the next chapter. Hope you enjoy – please R&R!**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine.**

Chapter 17

Regina never thought the day would come where she'd miss a pirate ship. The castle was beautiful, majestic, luxurious… but empty. She missed her brother – she had only just gotten to know him and within minutes he was ripped away from her. She even missed Hook, his inappropriate comments and odd sense of humour. She did not want to be in this blasted castle, she did not want to be saved. She had heard, of course, of the kind King Leopold – and kind he was. At first she suspected that he brought her to his castle as company for his daughter and she quite liked the young girl. Snow White was smart and longed for adventure like she herself had. However, she had heard the kitchen staff discussing the king's wish to marry her and the thought terrified her. She couldn't marry a king – she was certainly not cut out to be a queen!

She knew, however, that if the king desired her as a wife it was what she would be – unless she found some way of escaping undetected. Something she certainly would not accomplish on her own. Especially now that there was an enormous engagement ring sparkling on her finger. The king had not even asked – he simply gave her the ring and announced that she would be his wife. As though she owed him some sort of debt!

Regina sighed miserably. For the first few days in the castle, she still had hope – she was still sure that she would find a way out of it, that she'd be saved. As time passed, she had given up. Even if Baelfire and Hook tried to save her, what were the chances of succeeding? They'd be dead before even entering the courtyard. As if on cue, a face appeared next to her window. Regina gasped and rushed forward, her heart beating frantically in her chest. It was not a face she expected to show up in her window.

"Hook!"

Hands reached out to touch his face, making sure that he was in fact real and the pirate grinned – the same old cocky grin that she had come to know.

"Couldn't exactly leave you here, could I love? Bae would never have forgiven me!"

Regina choked back a sob when she noticed her brother behind Hook and reached out to hug him through the open window.

"How did you get past the guards?"

The two men shared a grin before looking back at her. It was Baelfire who answered.

"Hook created a… distraction. We need to get out of here, Gina. Before they see us."

She nodded and allowed Baelfire to pull her through the window. Her heartbeat sped up significantly when she looked down at the ground. It was a high way up and she had no idea how the two men had managed to get there. A grin formed on her face as she took the two men's hands and the three of them disappeared, only to appear again on the ground in a wave of purple smoke. Hook smiled down at her happily.

"Well that was easier than climbing up."

Although all three of them knew that it was imperative they get out as soon as possible, they took their time in hugging each other – each making sure the other was not hurt at all. Hook took the lead and jerked his head in the direction of the guards.

"Come on. If we're quick we can still sneak past them!"

They were just about to pass the guards undetected when a shrill scream pierced the air.

"Stop them! They're kidnapping her!"

Chaos erupted around them as the guards turned their attention to the three culprits. Regina was grabbed roughly by the arms and pulled away from them, trying her level best to free herself from their grip. Anxious tears streamed over her face – tears that the guards of course interpreted as relief. She allowed herself to be dragged back to the castle as all traces of hope she had left disappeared.

The last thing she saw when she looked around, was Hook struggling against two guards and Baelfire being knocked against the head before sinking to the ground. Then she was pushed back inside the castle, where a tearful Snow White awaited her.

The princess stormed forward and pulled Regina into her arms at once.

"I cannot believe they almost got away with it… they almost kidnapped you! If I didn't see them… who knows what would have happened?"

Regina's warm brown eyes turned to ice at the girl's words. She wanted to shout, scream, punch and scratch at her. She wanted to allow her body to give in to the anger she felt coursing through her veins. If she did not see them, what would have happened?  
She would have been free, that's what!

Regina nodded stiffly and forced a smile onto her face.

"Yes. Who knows what would have happened?"

Leopold appeared out of nowhere and Regina turned her head away, unwilling to look at him. He did not notice – or perhaps he simply did not care – and took a few steps toward her. He took hold of her chin with his fingers and gently turned her head so she faced him.

"My dear! I hear Snow saved your life from those pirates!"

Regina nearly scowled, but she swallowed her anger. Repressed it. Perhaps there was still a way! Hook and Baelfire made it once, they would not give up that easily. Would they?

She looked at the king through her lashes, trying her best to keep the anxiety out of her voice.

"The… the pirates. What will happen to them?"

Leopold smiled gently and stroked her cheek.

"You do not need to worry about them anymore, my dear. They are set to be executed. They'll never bother you again. In fact, as we speak I am sure my guards have already taken care of the pesky little problem."

A thousand rocks fell through Regina's stomach and it took all her self-control to not sink to the ground and weep hysterically. The lives of her brother and the man who had become her friend, described as a pesky little problem. A muscle jumped in Regina's jaw and she closed her eyes, willing herself to supress the sorrow and focus on the anger that was rising up within her. If it wasn't for the princess, she would have gotten out of here.

If it wasn't for the princess, Hook and Baelfire would still be alive.

For Regina, the weeks passed too quickly and too slowly all at once. Before she knew it, her wedding day had arrived – the day she had dreaded. She was a beautiful bride – of course she was. She did not, however, want to be one. Luckily, her tears were interpreted as tears of joy and through the crowd she could hear whispers of the new Queen's beauty and warmth. Every single second was torture and she wished the day over… only to regret that particular wish when night came.

Her wedding night.

As she lay in her bed after consummating her marriage, Regina was thankful for her experience with Hook. He had been kind and gentle, he had taken care of her and it helped that she could manage to picture his face in her mind as the king defiled her. She was glad when he left, with a soft kiss to her forehead, and she curled up in a bundle. It was hard to believe what her life had turned into. Years ago, she had been happy… she had everything she wanted and now she was alone, afraid and miserable. Worst of all, she had no hope that anything would ever change.

Baelfire and Hook – the only two people who knew where to find her, were both dead.

Her mother, her father, David… they'd look for her in Neverland or on the sea. They'd never expect to find her in a castle.

There was no way out.

She had to accept that she had absolutely no happy ending.

The news of Snow's impending engagement came the very next day. She was to marry some prince from a neighbouring kingdom, and as Queen, it was Regina's responsibility to make their guest feel welcome – show him around the castle, ensure that he wanted to be a part of the family and so forth. Snow was incredibly excited about the wedding. She had met the prince before and was adamant that he was her true love – she couldn't stop talking about him. Still, it would be improper for a young woman and man to be alone together. The king was far too busy to give the prince proper attention and expecting the servants to do it would be insulting. As a married woman, therefore, the Queen was the perfect person to entertain him – not that she wanted to! It was for this reason, that Regina was not downstairs awaiting his arrival, but upstairs in her room – sulking. She refused to move when she heard the company arriving, only begrudgingly going down when one of the servants came to call her.

She could see the prince in the courtyard, admiring the majestic beauty around him and she approached him with a scowl. The scowl on her face immediately turned into a look of pure astonishment when he turned around. For a few minutes, the pair could only stare at each other wide eyed. It was Regina who broke the silence with a throaty whisper.

"David…"


	18. Chapter 18

**Thanks for the reads and reviews! Appreciate it! **

**Okay, so it took some time but I finally know where I am going with this… So bear with me for a while longer!**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine!**

Chapter 18

It was hard to say who was more shocked to see the other. David could not believe his eyes. She looked different – dressed in an elaborate dress with her hair pinned up in an intricate hairdo. Yet, underneath it all she was still his friend.

"Gina…"

She rushed into his arms, tears spilling over her cheeks and David held on to her, rubbing over her back soothingly. She pulled back suddenly and looked at him with desperation.

"David, you need to help me. I need to get out of here, please! Please help me get out of here!"

He hesitated. By the looks of it, she was the new queen which made her his betrothed's stepmother. It was all kinds of wrong and he shuddered.

"You need to explain it to me, Regina. What happened? How did you get here? We've been looking for you for years and suddenly you are here… at the castle, married to the king?"

Regina grabbed onto her friend's hands.

"I didn't want this, I don't want this. It… I was kidnapped by a pirate, I truly was in Neverland and then… The point is, there was a sort of a battle and the king saved me. He thinks he saved me at least and now…"

She gestured around her helplessly and David's face twisted sympathetically. He had met his future father in law and knew that the king was a kind man, yet… His friend should not be married to someone twice her age! She was too young, too beautiful, too radiant.

Yet, he shook his head sadly as he squeezed her hand.  
"As much as I want to… Gina, I don't think that's possible. I don't think I can get you out of here."

Her eyes pleaded in his and her grip around his hand tightened.

"We can run away. We can find our parents and all run away together, we can be happy. David, please…"

It was tempting – of course it was. He had been looking for her for  
ages, in the years that passed he wanted nothing more than to find her. Even when he was held hostage by the man who pretended to be his father, finding Regina had been in the back of his mind relentlessly.

Then he met Snow and as much as he still wanted to find his childhood friend, he fell in love with the spunky princess. He took a hesitant step away from Regina and she recoiled from the clear sorrow in his eyes.

"Gina, I'm sorry… but I can't. I'm marrying Snow and… as much as I want to save you, I just can't."

Anger flashed in Regina's eyes and she pursed her lips, unwilling to believe the meaning behind his words.

"You… you'd rather marry the insipid little princess than save your best friend?"

David reached to touch her shoulders, but she stepped back away from him, tears forming in her eyes. He felt awful – of course he did.

"I love her, Gina."

It took four words – four words to break through the walls she had successfully managed to build around her ever since her brother and Hook were killed. She gave in to the anger, the darkness that begged to consume her.

"Fine. Marry your little princess. Do whatever the hell you want to, David."

"Gina…"

Once more he reached out to touch her, but she magically pushed him away with blazing eyes.

"It's your majesty."

In none of the futures he had seen throughout his life, did Rumpelstiltskin predict anything that was happening in the present. His daughter's descent into darkness, his own life threatened by his father once more and his heartless wife hell-bent on destroying his arch nemesis… None of it was supposed to happen! He had not seen Cora for days, she had disappeared completely into the darkness after a rant of how useless and miserable he was. Rumple sighed and leaned forward, burying his face in his hands.

"Hello laddie."

The nauseating, taunting voice scorched his ears and Rumple jumped up, glaring at the teenager in front of him – one he had not seen for centuries.

"What do you want from me?"

Peter Pan smirked at Rumple, eyeing him up and down slowly. The silence stretched to a magnificent silent battle of the wills.

It was Pan who gave in and stepped back with a slightly bowed head, though the smirk on his face lingered.

"You know what I want, laddie."

Rumple pursed his lips and looked away. Yes, he knew what his father wanted.

He wanted him to leave Neverland, so that he could continue with his insane game of being a child forever. Like he wanted to stay!

"I'm not staying, _papa_," he emphasized the word viciously, spitting it out at the man-child in front of him.

"I'm looking for my child, I have reason to believe that she was in Neverland and unlike you I want to be a good father."

Pan laughed insanely and shook his head.

"Yes, your child was here… but it was a he, definitely not a she. So much for being a good father."

Rumple froze, his breath hitching in his throat.

Baelfire.

Bae.

Baelfire.

"Baelfire was here? When?"

Pan shrugged, clearly not at all invested in the well-being of his grandchildren.

"Long ago. He escaped though. To me, it sounded like you were looking for a daughter."

Rumple grabbed onto Pan's neck, his eyes blazing.

"What do you know about them? Where are they? Bae and Regina. What have you done to them?"

Pan moved out of Rumple's grip easily and laughed.

"I don't have them, nor do I want them near Neverland. I am warning you, lad. Get out of here before the sun rises or I will kill you and everyone you hold dear without blinking. Every second you spend here is a threat to my eternity and I will defend it with my whole heart. Leave. Now."

Pan turned away without another word, disappearing in the opposite direction and Rumple sat back down on the log, willing the angry darkness to consume him once more.

"Well… wasn't that a touching father and son moment."

He looked up at Cora who stood a few steps away from him, her eyes curiously flitting between him and the space Pan had vanished from.

"You never told me your father lived in Neverland, dear. Or that you had a son. Seems I missed quite a few conversations in this marriage of ours."

It had taken a lot of wit and cunning, but Regina finally managed to escape the Castle. Without David – who now went by James or _Charming_ as Snow preferred to call him. She allowed the hatred for the pair of them to bubble up in her and scowled – the anger, the fury, the hatred… all of it worked together and made her stronger than she ever thought she could be. Her magic was nowhere near as powerful as she suspected it could be with proper training, but over the weeks it had grown enough for her to be more capable than she had been before she came to the castle. Regina cast a quick glance behind her before moving forward swiftly – deep into the forest, carefully avoiding anyone who might recognize her. Finally, she was far enough from the Castle to allow her magic to stay hidden and she flicked her wrists carefully, allowing purple smoke to transport her to a place she could still vividly picture.

Home.

Ruth was busy with mundane, daily tasks when she heard a splashing sound behind her and she jumped, turning to the lake defensively. What she found shocked her more than anything she thought possible and she clutched at her chest, staring out in front of her in pure astonishment. The woman in the lake was wet, frustrated, tired and older – but beautiful as ever. Ruth rushed forward and grabbed the girl's hands, tears already streaming over her face.

"Regina! Oh, my dear! Regina…"

Regina leapt into Ruth's arms, and allowed tears to stream over her face as she clung to the woman desperately. For nearly an hour, they stood – both women crying, comforting, and clinging to each other in the hope of finding some semblance of strength. Ruth found the will to move first and she forced herself to smile, her hands not leaving Regina's arms even for a second. Only now, did she notice the regal clothing, the hard edge in her eyes and the extravagant make-up. Whatever happened to her, Regina was not the young girl who was kidnapped all those years ago. There was a lot that needed explaining and Ruth's heart twitched.

Not only from Regina's side. Ruth too, had a lot to explain to the poor woman – like David being taken, why he was taken.

Worse yet, she now had the daunting task of explaining to Regina that her parents had not been seen for years and that no one knew where they were.

It was not going to be easy – not by long shot.


	19. Chapter 19

**I have become terribly lax with this story – I blame it on my intense Outlaw Queen obsession. I'm still continuing though – albeit slowly. So… I'm still mostly undecided about Evil Charming VS Hooked Queen in this (LOL, in a comic Con interview a while back – before the awesomeness of Outlaw Queen – Lana mentioned shipping Regina and Hook. They called it Hooker Queen. Funny…) **

**Do tell me which you prefer between Hooked Queen and EC – I find myself leaning towards one or the other at different times. Also… prepare for a little Evil Regina!**

**DISCLAIMER: Not mine.**

Chapter 19

Regina had been crying relentlessly for over an hour. Her parents were gone.

Ruth was shocked when she learnt that Regina was aware of the fact that David was taken – even more shocked when she heard that he was marrying a princess and was unable – or unwilling – to help Regina. It had destroyed the girl who now believed to have no one.

"You have me, Regina… you will always have me, I am here for you. We'll find your parents – I am sure they are out there somewhere and David."

Regina shook her head firmly.

"David doesn't want to come back. He… I thought he loved me. I thought he cared, but… he basically told me to suck it up. I was caught in the worst marriage I could image – I didn't want to be a queen, I wanted to run away. I lost my brother; I lost Hook… all because of that girl and her father!"

Ruth pulled Regina into another hug, stroking over her dark hair lovingly. Regina pulled away with a sniff, wiping tears from her eyes.

"I… I don't want this. I wanted to kill that man, I've never been so close to hurting someone."

Ruth shook her head and looked at Regina kindly.

"Regina… you are not like that. You're stronger than you think. Fight the darkness."

Regina laid her head on Ruth's shoulder with a sigh.

"You're the only one I have left, Ruth."

Hook and Baelfire had no idea where the hell they were. It seemed as though they were protected by some force of magic, having disappeared into thin air just as the arrows were supposed to hit them square in the chest. Not that they were complaining – being lost was certainly not as bad as being dead. Yet, they were not entirely happy about the situation. Especially as they were stuck with each other and although they head come to a standstill and achieved something akin to peace, there was still some resentment. A lot of resentment. They had managed to create a fire and where they sat next to each other, Hook was painfully aware of how much he missed Regina's company. More than her company to be honest. As though Baelfire was aware of his thoughts, he suddenly looked at Hook with unmasked curiosity.

"What happened between you and my sister?"

Hook had no idea how to answer the question – he wasn't exactly going to be honest and tell Baelfire that he took his sister's innocence. He couldn't lie either – Baelfire was perceptive.

"Nothing was supposed to happen…"

Baelfire grimaced.

"That was not my question, Killian."

It was the use of his real name that prompted him to be honest – to not be Hook for once and just be Killian. The good man he used to be.

"I… I think I fell in love with her. I mean… I miss her more and more every day and not just talking to her. I miss looking at her, I miss holding her and…"

Baelfire's head snapped towards Hook at the last statement and he narrowed his eyes.

"Holding her? Did you… was there… Was there something physical between you and Regina?"

Hook did not have to answer – the truth was quite clear on his face and Baelfire covered his face with his hands.

"That is… disturbing. Aren't you like a million years older than she is?"

Hook smirked.

"I don't look my age, though, do I?"

Baelfire huffed in response and shook his head.

"It's still disgusting."

"Well yes… as awful as you might find it, I need your help. We need to rescue her from that castle. I have come to know her and… there's no way she'd be happy there. Especially with that man as a husband. Please, Baelfire."

"I'll do it for my sister, Hook. Not for you or your… hormones."

So he was back to Hook. Nevertheless at least there was a chance that he could get Regina back. It was the only thing that mattered.

It was the most awkward conversation possible – for the first time in his life, Rumple had to open up about his cowardice, his marriage to Milah and his loss of Bae. Cora listened silently until he was finished, then her hand reached inside his chest and grabbed onto his heart.

"I should finish you off. It's your fault that our daughter is gone!"

Rumple's hand locked around Cora's wrist and he twisted her arm before pulling it out of his chest.

"Yes, dearie. It is my fault and I guess you're right – I deserve death. However, despite your heart being in a box at our home you still love me with your entire soul and killing me… would destroy you. So go right ahead."

It wasn't what she wanted, it wasn't what he envisioned… in the wake of their daughter's disappearance and their horrors in Neverland it seemed as though their marriage was crumbling. The tension between them changed within a split second. Once touch – that was all it took. Once touch and suddenly they were wrapped in each other's arms, lips meeting in a desperate kiss while hands pulled at stubborn clothes. While his lips travelled down her neck fervently, Cora was struck with the realization that Rumple was right – despite her heart not being inside her, she did love him with her entire soul and that was the only thing keeping her from succumbing to the darkness that threatened to overwhelm her. The realization that he loved her kept her afloat.

All coherent thought stopped when he fused his lips to hers again and she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him even closer. In Rumple's arms, she managed to forget everything – the anger, the fear, the heartache… In his arms she felt whole again and while she knew that the sorrow would return come morning, she gave in to her husband and allowed him to make her forget. About everything other than him.

It was by accident that she found it – crammed in a small box that contained a heart (it quite frankly disturbed Regina to find a heart) – a scroll written in what she assumed to be Elvish. For some reason she knew exactly what it was without having to be told.

A curse.

A curse that would take the entire Forest to another realm.

Regina's heart started racing frantically at this possibility. Another realm meant another chance – she'd be close to David again, she could make him forget all about the pretty princess. Her parents – wherever they were – could possibly enter the realm too. Of course, it seemed she had to darken her heart in order to do the spell. But it was a small sacrifice – she'd darken her heart in order to get her happy ending. After everything that was done to her it was the least she deserved.

Happiness.

Tales of the Queen's disappearance coursed through the castle in a wave of shock. David could not bear the guilt that threatened to overwhelm him – he had no idea where Regina was, whether she was all right and the look in her eyes before she left was utterly disturbing. Somehow, it seemed as though she had begun a descent into darkness and it frightened him beyond reason.

"Charming?"

Snow's soft voice behind him was responsible for a small smile and he turned, allowing her to move into his arms. Burying his head in her shoulder seemed to calm him down and he sighed contentedly as he wrapped his arms around her waist. Snow looked at her betrothed worriedly – he had been acting strange ever since he had arrived at the castle and she did not hesitate to tell him this. He responded with a sigh and she ran her hands through his hair.

"Help me understand. What happened for you to change? It seems like something is bothering you."

He moved back and gestured for her to sit down. It was time to share the entire story and he watched with immense regret as Snow's green eyes widened before filling with intense sorrow.

"You… you knew Regina? You were… there was something between you?"

David shook his head reluctantly.

"Not exactly, Snow… we were best friends, we assumed that we were going to get married, but I swear… I didn't know love until I met you."

She pulled her hands out of his grip and clutched her knees, her breath racing.

"And… do you know where she is? Why she left?"

"I know that… she doesn't love your father… she's unhappy here and she asked… she asked me to help her run away, but I swear… my love for you was stronger than my loyalty to her. Snow, you are the only woman I want to be with. Regina… I'll always care about her, but you're the one."

Snow dropped her head with a sigh.

"I always suspected she wasn't happy here, but this… I can't believe she ran away. My poor father…"

David stayed silent about his suspicions that the king would not be particularly heartbroken about his young wife's disappearance. He knew that the man did not love Regina, yet… he supposed in some way the king cared about her. It no doubt bothered him that she had run away and if he was honest to himself, he had an idea of where she could be. It was not, however, something that he would risk. Despite what he had told Snow, he still cared about her a lot and he would do anything if it prevented her from getting hurt. Not that she'd believe him… It didn't make it less true, however and he sighed, revelling in the feel of Snow's soft body in his arms. They were getting married in less than a week. Regina would be okay – she was strong. She'd survive.

He couldn't deny that the thought hurt.


End file.
